Aboriginal children to be placed into the care of white families

Aboriginal children who are abused should be allowed into the care of white families, assistant children’s minister David Gillespie has argued.

Dr Gillespie wants to relax rules that keep Aboriginal foster children in the care of indigenous families because too many are still raped and abused.

He said his fears of ‘an abandoned and damaged generation’ trumped his desire not to create another Stolen Generation. 

Aboriginal children who are abused should be allowed into the care of white families, assistant children’s minister David Gillespie has argued (stock image)

Dr Gillespie (pictured) wants to relax rules that keep Aboriginal foster children in the care of indigenous families because too many are still raped and abused

Dr Gillespie (pictured) wants to relax rules that keep Aboriginal foster children in the care of indigenous families because too many are still raped and abused

Dr Gillespie said there was a ‘mind-blowing’ number of aboriginal children with sexually transmitted diseases, adding: ‘If a child is being raped we can’t just say it’s OK on cultural grounds.’

He said: ‘In small communities, if a family is dysfunctional, that’s not satisfactory. I don’t want children recycled back into harm.’

Queensland will this year introduce ‘permanent care orders’ so Aboriginal children can be looked after by foster parents until they reach 18, reported the Courier-Mail. 

‘Foster care is not ideal, but there is a reluctance to put them in a more permanent situation for fear of creating another Stolen Generation,’ Dr Gillespie said. 

He said his fears of 'an abandoned and damaged generation' trumped his desire not to create another Stolen Generation (stock image)

He said his fears of ‘an abandoned and damaged generation’ trumped his desire not to create another Stolen Generation (stock image)

The minister is supported by prominent Aboriginal leader Warren Mundine who has long been campaigning for abused children to be allowed out of Aboriginal communities.

He said safety is ‘paramount, more important than anything else, including culture and kin’.

‘Culture is not a reason to leave a child in an unsafe or neglectful home,’ he added. 

‘Indigenous children can be raised with their culture and language even in adoptive families.

‘And, frankly, if parents can’t take care of their children’s basic needs, well-being and safety, I’d question what culture their children are learning anyway.’   

The minister is supported by prominent Aboriginal leader Warren Mundine (pictured) who has long been campaigning for abused children to be allowed out of Aboriginal communities

The minister is supported by prominent Aboriginal leader Warren Mundine (pictured) who has long been campaigning for abused children to be allowed out of Aboriginal communities



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