The landmark Stolen Generations Redress Scheme has been welcomed by Gunditijmara elder Charmaine Clarke but she fears its follow through may be detrimental to survivors.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
The state government announced on Wednesday $10 million will develop a scheme addressing the trauma and suffering caused by the forced removal of Aboriginal children.
"This is something a lot of people have been waiting for," Ms Clarke said.
"It validates our experience and acknowledges what happened and that taking us away was not positive.
"It is for those who suffered, including myself, and says we recognise the pain of separation and the injustices that occurred in care."
Through an online application, Stolen Generation survivors will be considered for a range of redress options including payments, counselling support and a funeral or memorial fund.
The funding could go towards helping survivors tell their stories and ensuring they are supported in making applications.
However, Ms Clarke has fears about what the process could bring up.
"I'm a survivor of abuse an it has affected a whole range of aspects of my life even up to today," she said.
"The application is a very traumatic process to go through. People will have to go into details of things they try not to revisit.
"There should be a tangible service to help people through the process and the online-only service is not sufficient enough."
Ms Clarke hopes survivors will have access to a range of healing services and the wider-community understands the importance of the redress scheme.
"There's a misconception out there that this is a way for us to get money," she said.
"I would rather have a normal childhood being raised by my family rather than being institutionalised and abused. I'm doing this for recognition and validation of what I went through."
The first consultations will be held this year, with the scheme to begin in 2021.
Have you signed up to The Standard's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in the south-west.