The Wire

The Australian Senate last night set off a chain reaction of celebrations – by voting to support an inquiry into the stolen wages and entitlements of Indigenous workers across Australia. Democrats Senator Andrew Bartlett proposed an inquiry into stolen wages, to report back by the end of the year. Queensland Stolen Wages working group member, Aunty Ruth Hegarty, says the most important outcome the inquiry could bring is closure. Stolen wages claimant, Lillian Willis says that like other Indigenous Queenslanders, she was keen to take a job, for a meagre increase of income, not knowing that most of her money was being withheld.