Aboriginal children will soon be taken from their parents at rates similar to those of the stolen generation unless change is made according to a shocking new report. The warning comes from South Australia’s aboriginal children's commissioner, who says the alarming figures show a desperate need for major change.
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00:00 Aunty Louise Rankin turns 70 next week but she doesn't want to celebrate.
00:07 I never had my mum and dad around to celebrate my birthday or my brothers or sisters to celebrate
00:14 birthdays so I don't like birthdays. It just reminds me of the day I was born and what
00:19 happened.
00:19 Ms Rankin was taken from her parents when she was five days old and placed in the care
00:24 of a non-Aboriginal foster family. Decades later she's coming to terms with having three
00:30 of her grandchildren in out of home care.
00:32 I cried and cried and didn't believe that it could happen to me.
00:39 South Australia's Aboriginal Children's Commissioner has spent the past 15 months investigating
00:48 First Nations child removals. In a report handed to the government she's revealed alarming
00:54 statistics.
00:55 The actual rates of removal are spiralling out of control.
01:00 The report reveals that unless something changes up to 14% of all First Nations children in
01:06 South Australia will be in state care by 2031. Warning if the predicted increase is realised
01:13 Aboriginal children will be removed in numbers close to those of the stolen generation.
01:18 Things happen much too late and by then it's too late. We need to get in early.
01:23 The problems raised in this report are far from unique to South Australia. Experts say
01:28 similar issues are being reported right around the country, prompting calls for urgent action.
01:33 It is absolutely clear that improvements need to be made. I will be carefully considering
01:40 the report's recommendations.
01:44 Ms Rankin says the solution will come when governments listen to First Nations people.
01:49 We need to get help to get out of here. It's like jumping bottles to get to the big water
01:56 hole.
01:56 A renewed plea for help over a long running problem.
01:59 [BLANK_AUDIO]