Queensland's Forgotten Debt: The Unresolved Legacy of Stolen Wages

Imagine waking each dawn, forced to labour endlessly, knowing the fruits of your work will never belong to you. Imagine building hospitals, roads, schools, and entire communities, yet never seeing a penny for your effort. This was not some distant historical anomaly—it was the daily reality faced by thousands of Indigenous Australians in Queensland throughout much of the 20th century.

From 1897 onwards, under the cruel provisions of the Aboriginals Protection and Restriction of the Sale of Opium Act and subsequent legislation, the Queensland government exerted absolute control over the lives and livelihoods of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Workers’ wages were systematically withheld and funnelled into government-controlled accounts, purportedly for their 'protection'. Yet these funds were often misappropriated, diverted to finance state infrastructure and general government expenditure, leaving generations impoverished and disempowered.

Renowned historian Dr Ros Kidd describes with painful clarity the stark realities of this injustice:

"During the Depression years, Aboriginal funds were used to cover consolidated revenue shortfalls. Fifty percent of the Aboriginal Protection of Property Account was diverted to finance general government operations, amounting to almost $868,000 in today's terms."

Queensland's Forgotten Debt: The Unresolved Legacy of Stolen Wages

The personal impact of these policies cannot be overstated. Mick Gooda, Chair of the Stolen Wages Reparations Taskforce, powerfully summarised the emotional toll this injustice continues to inflict upon communities:

"During our consultations, simply asking people about the distribution of reparations reopened old wounds, making many relive traumatic memories. It was a devastating reminder of the pain inflicted by these unjust policies."

While Australia today rightly condemns wage theft through robust modern laws—such as the Fair Work Act 2009, which mandates fair compensation and dignity at work—Queensland remains uniquely resistant to fully acknowledging or rectifying its historical wrongdoings.

Unlike states like New South Wales, which established the comprehensive Aboriginal Trust Fund Repayment Scheme, Queensland’s efforts remain half-hearted and flawed. The requirement for survivors to sign away further rights to compensation through restrictive Deeds of Agreement has been rightly condemned by advocates and historians as a further insult upon generations of injury.

The consequences of this institutionalised exploitation continue to echo through Indigenous communities. It is not merely wages that were stolen—it was dignity, autonomy, and generational wealth. Families who should have inherited financial stability instead inherited poverty, limited access to education, and poorer health outcomes. The Stolen Wages Reparations Taskforce poignantly underscored the ongoing harm:

"These policies created a legacy of economic disadvantage and intergenerational trauma still deeply felt today."

This is why compensation to descendants of those robbed of their wages is not merely symbolic; it is a moral necessity and historical obligation. Providing reparations acknowledges a profound wrongdoing, seeks forgiveness, and begins the process of genuine healing.

Queensland, standing alone in its reluctance, must now confront this unfinished chapter of justice. It must rise to match the modern principles it espouses in law and governance, recognising that reconciliation is not possible without accountability and restitution. To quote the powerful conclusion of the Senate Inquiry into Indigenous Stolen Wages (2006):

"It would be an abrogation of moral responsibility to delay any further… with the knowledge that the age and infirmity of Indigenous people affected by these practices limit their capacity to pursue claims."

The time for Queensland to act decisively is now. The descendants of those whose labour built our state are owed more than apologies—they are owed justice. Only through a genuine, comprehensive redress scheme can Queensland truly move forward, embracing a future grounded in fairness, dignity, and true reconciliation.