12.07.2015 Views

Bringing-Them-Home-Report-Web

Bringing-Them-Home-Report-Web

Bringing-Them-Home-Report-Web

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

16 Access to Personal and Family RecordsPeople need their personal and family records for various reasons.I wanted to find out my right age and where all my family came from and who I was relatedto.Confidential submission 110, Queensland.In some cases the records held by non-Aboriginal organisations may be the only source ofinformation that Aboriginal people have about ourselves (Link-Up (NSW) submission 186 page10).That’s why I wanted the files brought down, so I could actually read it and find out why Iwas taken away and why these three here [siblings] were taken by [our] auntie … Whydidn’t she take the lot of us instead of leaving two there? … I’d like to get the files there andsee why did these ones here go to the auntie and the other ones were fostered.Confidential evidence 161, Victoria.Access to knowledge can assist: to reinstate pride in family experiences; enhance a stronger senseof identity; re-establish contacts with family members; reaffirm interaction with broad familynetworks; revive and maintain Aboriginal traditions …; understand the historical background ofcontemporary personal issues …; re-claim ownership of material pertaining to family life;develop resources … and enhance research skills (Patrick Dodson quoted in the National <strong>Report</strong>of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody Volume 2 on page 78).Existing services and proceduresThe variety of existing services and procedures for accessing personal and familyrecords – even within a single jurisdiction – creates a complex and somewhat confusingscene.There is a patchwork of laws governing access to these records. At the federal level the ArchivesAct 1983, the Freedom of Information Act 1982 and the Privacy Act 1988 are relevant. There maybe as many as three pieces of parallel legislation in each State. At the local [government] levelaccess to records may be governed by State legislation or by independent regulations of the localgovernment authority.There is no legislation governing access to records generated in the non-Government sphere …As there is no single piece of legislation across Australia governing access to government recordsthere is no consistency in terms of practices or policies …

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!