PIAC’s work with Indigenous communities led to the investigation of claims by clients who were denied access to wages, allowances and pensions held in trust by the NSW Government.

After obtaining documents under the Freedom of Information Act, PIAC discovered that the Department of Community Services had considered implementing a repayment scheme for Aboriginal people but the plan had never been adopted. PIAC’s lobbying activities drew media coverage, and soon after the NSW Government announced it was considering establishing a tribunal to examine people’s claims.

In 2004, the Government established the Aboriginal Trust Fund Repayment Scheme (ATFRS) to assess claims and pay Aboriginal people and their descendants the money owed to them.

PIAC is leading the campaign to ensure that the NSW Government repay Aboriginal people their entitlements. Our previous work has included:

• legal support for direct claimants through the joint PIAC-PILCH Stolen Wages Referral Scheme
• successful advocacy for an extension of the deadline for the Aboriginal Trust Fund Repayment Scheme
• extensive community outreach to raise awareness about the scheme and to assist Aboriginal people, particularly elders, to register claims; and
• a successful campaign for the scheme to accept oral evidence on the existence of trusts.

The Scheme is due to finish processing all claims by the end of 2011. PIAC will continue to advocate for repayment of all trust monies owed to Aboriginal people in NSW, however, through a public report evaluating the Scheme and continued lobbying of the NSW Government.