Tuart Times Issue 21 - May 2021

The

ISSUE 21: MAY 2021 ISSN: 2204-7646

Tuart Times

WA Christmas Trees flowering at Donnybrook, Western Australia Photo courtesy of David Moir

David Moir

Caring for others in need Our front cover photograph shows WA Christmas Trees (Nuytsia floribunda) in full bloom near Donnybook, WA. It was taken by David Moir in December 2020. Dave spent most of his childhood at Parkerville Children’s Home before embarking on a career in the mining industry, carried out mainly in outback and remote areas. He has always liked to spend time in the bush and regularly takes off on camping trips. Dave has a keen interest in plants and the natural environment. When he is in Perth, Dave is a regular volunteer at Tuart Place and is very generous with his time and assistance. He is well known for his caring and support of people who are unwell, and is a frequent visitor to those in hospital. In November last year, David won a wheelbarrow packed with household and garden goodies at Have a Go Day in Perth. After donating and giving away most of its contents, Dave even managed to give away the wheelbarrow itself! The grateful recipient was a Tuart Place regular, who does small gardening jobs for people in his local community. Photo: Dave with the team from Comfort Keepers, who organised the Have a Go Day raffle.

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What do memorials mean to you? The matter of memorials is once again in the spotlight, with a design competition currently underway (closing 21 May) for the development of a National Memorial to Survivors & Victims of Child Sexual Abuse. Closer to home, the WA State memorial to Care Leavers, Unfolding Lives (also known as the Chatterbox), is due to be brought out of storage this year (see story on pages 4-5.) Many people remember the unveiling of the original Chatterbox memorial in Northbridge, and we take a trip down memory lane with a collection of photos of this 2010 event. Please note these include images of people who are no longer living, notably the late Reverend Sealin Garlett OAM, a much loved and respected Elder of the Noongar community, who passed away in 2019. There is also a photo of the late Laurie Humphreys JP – a former child migrant and the founder of Tuart Place. It was a triumphant day for Laurie, who delivered a memorable speech at the unveiling. In our feature, we consider the significance of memorials and the functions they perform. On page 21, we pay tribute to the group of Clontarf Old Boys who have determinedly kept the memory of Michael Bowman alive through annual commemorations and ongoing maintenance of his memorial and gravesite. The memorial also stands in recognition of all those who suffered as a result of the tragic bus crash of 1955 that claimed young Michael’s life. While the Unfolding Lives memorial has unfortunately (and hopefully temporarily) disappeared from the Monument Australia website, the listing for Michael Bowman’s memorial has remained constant over time: https://www.monumentaustralia.org.au/ themes/people/tragedy/display/61129 michael-bowman It is a credit all those involved.

Welcome to Issue # 21 Welcome to another edition of The Tuart Times – once again featuring a dramatic bushland image caught on camera by a Tuart Place participant. We thank David Moir for our front cover photo – and for all he does for others in our community. This edition goes to print on the tail end of another lockdown and with us all wearing masks and being super careful – about everything. The Tuart Place community has been amazing – resilient and caring throughout the difficulties and with an overwhelming sense that we are very fortunate to be living in WA during this worldwide pandemic. We have also been lucky with the timing of key events and managed to host some large gatherings and still comply with health regulations. Our Christmas Party had to be held off-site at the Esplanade Hotel to accommodate 200+ guests for a seated lunch, but it was fabulous, and the atmosphere was electric with excitement (and some relief) to be catching up with old friends again. Our three invited speakers – the Hon. Simone McGurk MLA, Senator Dean Smith, and Tuart Place Patron Senator Rachel Siewert – all spoke powerfully in praise of Tuart Place, highlighting the unity and mutual support within our community. It was affirming to have our leading-edge service model and powerful advocacy acknowledged by these three Parliamentarians – particularly as they each play key roles in the ongoing battle for a better deal for Care Leavers and survivors. As event MC Katrina Stratton pointed out, for a small organisation, Tuart Place certainly packs a punch! (and, so it seems, does Katrina herself, being recently elected as State Labor Member for the Seat of Nedlands – no mean feat!) Although Katrina’s election win means we sadly lose her from our Board of Governance, we are delighted to have such a committed voice for Care Leavers in the State Parliament. We wish you all well, and hope you enjoy this issue of The Tuart Times. Thankyou to everyone who contributed.

CONTENTS 4-5: WA Care Leavers memorial 6 : Mooditch Footprints 7 : Roelands Academy 8-9 : Aged care matters 10-12 : National Redress Scheme 13 : International redress 14-15 : Carrolup news 16-17 : Records matter 18 : Care Experienced History Month 18: Australian Orphanage Museum 19 : Congratulations Katrina Stratton 19 : Book review: ‘Family First’ 20-21 : VALE notices 22-23 : Counselling and support 24-25 : Events and outings 26-27 : What’s on at Tuart Place 28: Opening hours

Contact Us: Tuart Place 24 High Street Fremantle 6160 Western Australia Phone (08) 6140-2380 Freecall: 1800-619-795 Email: admin@tuartplace.org Web: www.tuartplace.org

Pip

Dr Philippa White, Director, Tuart Place 27 April, 2021

At the Tuart Place Christmas party on 14 Dec 2020 Left to Right: David Moir Sen Dean Smith Sen Rachel Siewert Pip White Hon Simone McGurk Peter Leslie Susy Vaughan 3

‘Unfolding Lives’ Back into the light

A memorial with special significance for West Australian Care Leavers is the ‘Unfolding Lives’ sculpture, which was unveiled in December 2010 outside the old Museum in the Northbridge Cultural Centre. The memorial, known to many care leavers as the ‘Chatterbox’, was placed in storage four years ago, during redevelopment of the new Boola Bardip Museum. In mid-2020, Mark Farmer, a WA care leaver and advocate, began lobbying for reinstatement of the memorial, prompting a series of consultations by the WA Government on this issue. The consultation process is being handled by the Office of the WA Commissioner for Victims of Crime, which is seeking input from WA care leavers and other stakeholders. About 35 people attended a meeting at Tuart Place on 29th March 2021, including members of the Stolen Generations; former child migrants; and the Forgotten Australians - non-Indigenous Australian-born care leavers. The Welcome to Country was provided by Noongar Elder Dorothy (Dot) Bagshaw, a former resident of Carrolup Marribank Mission. Among those present were WA Commissioner for Victims of Crime Kati Kraszlan and colleagues Charlotte Hastings and Natalie Burgis; Matthew Wilding, Director of Corporate Information, WA Department of Communities; FACT Inc Board members Cevrina Reed, Dale Lynch, Ann McVeigh and Lyn McLaughlin; Derek Smith, Vice President of

Old Fairbridgians Association WA; as well as representatives and ex-residents of a wide range of former children’s Homes in WA. Commissioner Kati Kraszlan began her presentation by apologising for the lack of information provided to care leavers about the removal of the Chatterbox memorial four years ago, and acknowledging the distress this had caused. Kati disclosed that the memorial had been damaged as it was removed from the plinth, and that funding has been made available for its restoration. A lively discussion ensued with plenty of ideas about locations for the memorial and its signage. After relaying this feedback to Government, Kati will come back for further consultation and discussion of options. Thank you to student social worker Meagan Court for taking notes at this meeting. Copies are available from Tuart Place on request.

Flashback to the 2010 unveiling of ‘Unfolding Lives’....

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Welcome to Country Dot Bagshaw (Carrolup-Marribank)

March 2021 Memorial consultation at Tuart Place (L-R): Pip White (Tuart Place), Eddie Hewett (Tardun), Malcolm Head (Bindoon), Matthew Wilding (Department of Communities), Mark Farmer (Care Leaver Advocate), Kati Kraszlan (Commissioner for Victims of Crime), Derek Smith (Old Fairbridgians Association WA), Ann McVeigh (St Joseph’s & FACT Inc Board)

Do memorials matter? “Memorials can provide symbolic reparation and public recognition to victims and survivors in ways that can contribute to healing. Memorials honour those who have suffered and provide opportunities to remember the past and think about the future. They provide a specific place for families and wider society to reflect on the trauma of survivors and mourn the victims lost. They may also serve to educate future generations about what occurred in society’s history and provide a space for public awareness and remembrance”. (Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, 2017, Vol.17, p.65)

What do memorials mean to you? Memorials of all kinds - plaques, headstones, public statues, and heritage trails - are physical reminders of someone or something that is important to somebody. Memorials can celebrate, or mourn, or both, and we all interpret them differently. A memorial that marks a tragedy ensures that it is not forgotten, and can unburden the survivors of this task. Memorials can also provide a rallying point for commemoration or celebration, and help to connect the past with the present. (See Remembering Michael Bowman on p21). Contact Tuart Place to find out how to contribute to the current consultation on the future of WA’s Unfolding Lives memorial.

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‘Mooditch Footprints’ In his memoir, ‘Mooditch Footprints’, Goomalling-born Noongar elder Lindsay Calyun writes of being taken from his family in East Perth when he was 11 years old: “In 1965 I was taken from primary school, two police men took me from school. I didn’t know where I was going to stop next. I ended up in Mt Lawley Receiving Home, then was taken to Longmore for one night and then next morning I was picked up by a missionary and taken to Roelands”. Lindsay escaped from Roelands in 1968 and returned to his parents in East Perth. “It was good days when we were young growing up in East Perth. Some old people were there, no house, they slept everywhere down by the river, alongside the railway line. Even in the parks around West Perth, but they would

come to East Perth to meet other old people. “They were from the stolen generation. Moore River gang and Carrolup mob. My father was taken away from his mother, he was in Moore River. My mother was taken too, she was in Carrolup and Moore River but they didn’t talk about that.” Mooditch Footprints was awarded equal second prize in the Vincent Local History Awards in November 2020. Vincent mayor Emma Cole said that local historians are keen to learn more from Mr Calyun. “We are very fortunate that [Mr Calyun] entered his memoir into the awards. Lindsay’s reflections on the close-knit Aboriginal community in East Perth are significant and his memoir shows just how close to home the experiences of the Stolen Generations are for many Noongar elders in Perth.” Mooditch Footprints is available online from the Vincent Library, at: https://librarycatalogue.vincent.wa.gov.au/client/ en_GB/search/asset/1173/0 Photos Top right: Lindsay Calyun (courtesy of Rockingham History Project Facebook page). Left: “Boys at play in East Perth at Miller’s Timber Yard 1960s.” Young Lindsay Calyun is standing facing the camera.

Images of Norseman Mission Many thanks to Jennifer Bonney for sharing her photos of Norseman Mission with the Tuart Place Historical Photos Collection. This photo shows children with the mission bus in the early 1960s. 6

Roelands Academy

Turning a traumatic past towards a brighter future Roelands Village is located on the Collie River, in the Bunbury region, about 155km from Perth, on Seven Hills Road, Roelands. The property was originally established as a farm for Aboriginal families, but by 1941 admitted only Aboriginal children. From 1938 to 1975, Roelands Native Mission Farm, run by a non-denominational Protestant Church association, housed more than 500 forcibly removed children, taken from all over the State. When the Mission closed in 1975, a new facility, called Roelands Village, was opened on the same site by the Churches of Christ Federal Aborigines Mission Board, which ran it as cottage homes for school age Aboriginal children, until 1984. After the property was put on the market in the early 2000s, former residents Les Wallam and Syd Jackson joined with around 50 others to protest the sale. “All us ex-mission kids, we all banded together, even the ones who didn’t like it,” Les said. “There were two parts to it – there is the historical part, but also the potential this place offers, the space, training, employment. We saw a chance for all of us to make good with our past, and to change the futures of our young people too.” The group merged with Woolkabunning Kiaka, an Aboriginal Corporation founded in 1974 by Roelands ex-resident, Allan Kickett, and jointly they lobbied the Indigenous Land Corporation to buy the property. The purchase was made in 2004, with a lease granted to WKI on

the condition that it would become self-sufficient. Les Wallam is now CEO of Woolkabunning Kiaka, while Syd Jackson, a footballing legend who won two premierships playing for Carlton, is an Ambassador for Roelands. They and others have converted the old mission into a centre of healing, shifting the bleak history of Roelands towards a brighter future. Les and Syd work with Roeland’s young caretaker, Junior Bulley, to deliver an alternative, culturally sensitive re-engagement program for young Aboriginal people. Today, there are 12 permanent residents at Roelands Academy, which is part of a larger not-for-profit organisation, the Outback Academy, whose mission is to heal, educate and employ. The Academy’s RESPECT program certifies young people in leadership and helps them develop skills in areas such as agriculture, hospitality, carpentry and horticulture. Another goal of the Roelands venture is to reconcile with former residents, and there are plans for a bush tucker trail and memorial garden paying tribute to the 500 children who grew up at the former Roelands Native Mission Farm. Photos: Photo collage courtesy of thewest.com.au. From top left: Syd Jackson and Les Wallam at Roelands Academy in 2020; historical images of stolen Aboriginal children at the former mission; Syd in his footballing days with Carlton; restored buildings at Roelands.

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Aged care matters It’s a real privilege to join Pip at the National Roundtable on Aged and Community Care for Forgotten Australians. We meet each month on Zoom with a dedicated group of support workers and Care Leavers from around Australia to discuss issues Care Leavers face when accessing My Aged Care packages and other topics about ageing. We’re often joined by representatives from the Department of Health. I’ve picked up lots of ideas and also had the chance to contribute to a video for Global Community Resourcing in Queensland and do a podcast interview for the Real Care Second Time Around project, developed by Elm Place in Adelaide and the Canberra Institute of Technology. This project will soon provide an online Accreditation course for Aged Care workers where they are required to watch video’s, listen to podcasts and complete an assessment about Forgotten Australians, Former Child Migrants and Stolen Generations and how to work with Care Leavers. It’s a significant breakthrough and I look forward to the launch so we can share this resource with everyone at

with Margo O’Byrne Tuart Place. It will be a real game changer for aged care staff and for us. Meeting up with others around Australia has highlighted how lucky we are to have Tuart Place. It also gives Pip and me a chance to let people around Australia know that, although we’re not a ‘Find & Connect’ service, we always need to be included in national discussions. The roundtable is hosted by Anne Livingstone from Global Community Resourcing in Brisbane. Among their projects, they explore creative ways to help Care Leavers use Smart Technology. Their website, www.satcommunity.com.au has loads of information. If you want a laugh, have a look at this video about smart technology and how one person adapted it to suit his lifestyle: https://vimeo.com/128873380

Top Ten Questions to ask when looking for residential aged care A new resource is available to assist Care Leavers/Forgotten Australians looking for aged care accommodation, by listing some key questions to ask service providers. This brochure is a guide for Care Leavers to ask those questions that matter to them when making decisions about residential accommodation. The resource was developed by Meg Schwartz and Fran Lovell of The Real Care Second Time Around Project, in collaboration with Forgotten Australians/Care Leavers. The brochure will also assist the aged sector to better understand and engage with older people who have lived experience of out-of-home care, and will be included as a link in the Canberra Institute of Technology’s

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More than half a million children were placed in institutional and out-of-home care under various arrangements in the last century. ‘Care Leavers’ may also be known as ‘Forgotten Australians’, ‘Former Child Migrants’ or ‘Stolen Generations’. Many in this group experienced control, abuse, had their basic rights taken from them and have significant anxieties about entering aged care.

Helping Hand Aged Care Program Manager Fran Lovell and Project Officer Meg Schwarz.

new e-training module about Care Leavers. This resource will also be circulated throughout the aged care sector by the Commonwealth Department of Health’s Aged Care and Diversity Section, and will be available to all aged care organisations that support Care LeavThis brochure has been prepared by ers. Real Care the Second Helping TheHand’s Top 10 Questions brochure is now available on Time Around Team andhelpinghand.org.au/ informed the Helping HandProject Aged Care website: by Forgotten Australians / Care Leavers wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Brochure-FA-ten-questions. pdf involved in this project. A further resource published recently by Helping This guide will Forgotten Hand, Practical Tipshelp for Aged Care Providers to Engage Australians / Care Leavers to ask the with Forgotten Australians, will help aged care providers engage with dignity and respect with Forgotten questions that are important to them.Australians/ Care Leavers. It is a wonderful and useful companion to the It may be useful for: Top Ten Brochure, and is also available to download from the http://helpinghand.org.au/about-us/diversity• website: Comparing services between inclusion/forgotten-australians/

It is your right to ask

residential aged care homes

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National Roundtable on Aged and Community Care for Forgotten Australians Promoting a national discussion on improved models of aged and community care for people who were in out-of-home care during childhood The National Roundtable on Aged and Community Care for Forgotten Australians continues to meet monthly (via Zoom) to discuss and share how aged care services can be tailored and improved to ensure that Care Leavers gain better access and more appropriate services as they age. The Roundtable commenced in 2019 after a successful forum on Aged and Community Care at Wattle Place in Sydney. Membership includes Forgotten Australians/Care Leavers, specialist service providers, mainstream aged care providers, researchers, and individuals - all passionate to ensure that aged and community services are more individualised, responsive, and of the highest possible quality.

Tuart Place has been part of the Roundtable since mid-2020. Recent discussions have included the impact of Redress Anne Livingstone payments on aged care entitlements; the Aged Care Royal Commission; aged care reform; and presentations by researchers and academics such as Adele Chynoweth and Dee Michell. The National Roundtable is convened by Anne Livingstone of Global Community Resourcing. For further information please contact Anne at anne@communityresourcing.com.au

Aged Care Royal Commission delivers Final Report The Final Report of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety was tabled in Parliament on 1st March 2021. A total of 11 submissions specifically focus on issues affecting Care Leavers. Forgotten Australians, members of the Stolen Generations, and Former Child Migrants are identified as a ‘Special Needs’ group known as ‘Care Leavers’ under the Aged Care Act. This recognises the risk of re-traumatisation for older people who experienced childhood trauma, abuse and neglect in institutional settings. Tuart Place’s submission was prepared by Margo O’Byrne and Dale Lynch, in consultation with other Care Leavers and Tuart Place staff. It is available at http://agedcare.royalcommission.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-09/ AWF.001.04093.00_001.pdf

Of the 124 recommendations made in the Royal Commission’s Final Report, around 19 involve changes that would positively affect Care Leavers (and others accessing aged care services). The Royal Commission provided an opportunity to raise awareness of the experiences, needs and concerns of Care Leavers accessing aged care services, and to ensure they are included in future planning and re-design of Australia’s aged care system. Many individuals, organisations and groups such as the National Roundtable on Aged and Community Care for Forgotten Australians continue to advocate for an aged care system in which Care Leavers feel safe, respected, heard and supported by aged care service providers and staff. The Commission’s Final Report is available at http:// agedcare.royalcommission.gov.au/publications/final-report

Do you need help now you are getting older? Are you confused by the number of aged care agencies and programs? Do you need support to access aged care services? Have you tried before and have not been successful? Perhaps you feel overwhelmed by the My Aged Care application process. If so, Advocare can help. Advocare is an independent, community-based, not-for-profit organisation that supports and protects the rights of older West Australians through information, advocacy and education. Advocare assists older people to understand their rights, to make informed choices, and to resolve any issues they have with aged and home care services. Advocare can help people aged 65+ (and Aborigi-

nal people aged 50+) who want help to understand, choose and access aged care services. Taryn is a ‘Specialist Adocate’ with Adovcare and is also interested in hearing about people’s experiences when they have contacted My Aged Care. For free, confidential information and support you can contact Taryn on 0427 732 515 or email tarynh@advocare.org.au 9

National Redress Scheme news Funder of Last Resort announced for Fairbridge It was a long battle for survivors of abuse at Fairbridge institutions to have arrangements put in place for their claims to be paid under the National Redress Scheme. In a welcome development in March 2021, Social Services Minister Anne Ruston announced that the Australian state and federal governments would step in and take responsibility for paying Fairbridge claims. “This announcement means that applications can now be progressed, which name these institutions and where a government played a role in placing the child”, Minister Ruston said. Key players in achieving this positive outcome are Richard Hinch, President of the Old Fairbridgians’ Association WA, and Senator Dean Smith, Chair of the of the Joint Select Committee on Implementation of the National Redress Scheme. Both were active in seeking to resolve the funding impasse, to allow NRS claims to be progressed. This development will affect approximately 70 applications by Fairbridge survivors, which are currently ‘on hold’, as well as future claims received by the Scheme. It had originally been hoped that Prince Charles’s personal charity the Prince’s Trust Group, and associated

entity Fairbridge Restored, would sign up to the Redress scheme, but after lengthy negotiations there is still no resolution in sight. “We will continue to work with the Prince’s Trust but we think the survivors should not have to wait any longer,” Minister Ruston said. Photo: Old Fairbridgians Mike Baker, Ric Hinch and Graham Bennett

But what about those who missed out? The announcement of a Funder of Last Resort for Fairbridge will be a bitter pill to swallow for those Fairbridge survivors who have already accepted a part payment under the National Redress Scheme. In cases where an institution hasn’t opted in to the Scheme, applicants can choose to accept a part payment straight away, but in doing so they waive their rights to full payment – even if the institution opts in at a later date, or an alternative funder is found – as has happened with Fairbridge. Obviously, this situation is unfair. The great majority of redress applicants are elderly, and many are in poor health with little money. They should not be forced to choose between accepting a half payment now, or waiting an unknown length of time for the possibility of full payment – hoping that the institution responsible for their childhood abuse decides to opt in to the Scheme. We call for National Redress Scheme guidelines to be amended so that applicants who accept a part payment can have it ‘topped up’ to the correct amount when a funder is

Tuart Place calls for NRS guidelines to change so that applicants who accept a part payment can have it ‘topped up’ to the correct amount when a funder opts in

found, or the responsible institution opts in. In the case of Fairbridge, Ric Hinch and his Committee continue to press for the UK Prince’s Trust to take direct responsibility for paying redress to survivors of abuse at Fairbridge institutions. It seems particularly important for this source of redress to be made available to those who missed out under the National Redress Scheme. In March 2021, a Prince’s Trust spokesperson welcomed the Australian Government’s decision to fund payments under the Scheme, and said that “the Trust remains committed to providing Fairbridge with funds to support victims and survivors.” We hope this commitment results in speedy action to alleviate the distress and ongoing uncertainty for survivors of abuse at Fairbridge institutions.

Review of the National Redress Scheme

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Survivors, advocates, and support services are eagerly awaiting the report of the second anniversary review of the National Redress Scheme, conducted by independent reviewer Robyn Kruk AO in August/September last year. A further online feedback survey was conducted throughout October 2020. A wide range of individuals and organisations contributed to the Review via written submissions and oral evidence, including participants and staff at Tuart Place.

The review was due to report to the Minister for Families and Social Services, Anne Ruston, by the end of February 2021. The Minister will decide if the report is to be made public. If the Minister agrees, the report will be published after 28 February 2021. Minister Ruston has committed to finding ways to improve the Scheme for survivors. We are looking forward to the Minister making public the findings of this important review.

Tuart Place calls for public release of the report on the second anniversary review of the National Redress Scheme

Publication alert: Civil justice & redress scheme outcomes Procedural differences between civil justice and redress schemes are well known, but knowledge gaps stymie an ability to compare monetary outcomes. A recently published paper by Kathleen Daly and Juliet Davis advances the field of institutional abuse of children by analysing outcomes for 4563 civil justice and redress scheme claims of sexual abuse of children received by 36 Australian Catholic Church authorities (CCAs) over 35 years. The authorities are archdioceses, dioceses and male and female religious institutes. As expected, average civil justice payments are higher than those for redress schemes. However, there is huge payment variation and a good deal of overlap between the two, especially at the

knowmore Legal Service:

Free legal support with the National Redress Scheme National Redress Support at Tuart Place Tuart Place works closely with knowmore Legal Service in providing support to people who are considering applying to, or engaging with, the National Redress Scheme. Tuart Place firstly assists people to explore their options, which can include civil claims; a direct claim; or a claim under the National Redress Scheme. Tuart Place’s Redress Consultants are highly experienced and sensitive to the needs of people undertaking claims processes. They make warm referrals to trusted law firms where applicable. They provide help with completing Redress application forms, and support throughout the process, in accordance with the individual wishes of each person. We obtain legal feedback on all our National Redress Scheme applications prior to submitting them. To find out more, or to book a confidential appointment with Jan, Sarah or Catherine, contact Reception at Tuart Place on Freecall 1800-619-795.

lower end of the payment spectrum. The authors explain payment variation by a generally lower, average or higher paying orientation of the CCAs, coupled with a strong lower paying orientation of the female religious institutes. Victims and survivors of institutional child abuse require information on outcomes of civil justice and redress scheme claims. Daly and Davis join others in calling upon all relevant actors to ‘show the data’ on settled claims. Citation: Daly, K. and J. Davis (2021). Civil justice and redress scheme outcomes for child sexual abuse by the Catholic Church, Current Issues in Criminal Justice, DOI: 10.1080/10345329.2021.1895467, or contact Juliet Davis at juliet.davis@griffith.edu.au

knowmore is an independent legal service that provides free and confidential legal help to survivors of abuse, and offers information and advice about the justice and redress options that may be available. knowmore also offers free financial counselling to people engaging with the National Redress Scheme. knowmore has offices across Australia, including Perth. Contact knowmore’s free advice line on 1800-605-762, or visit www. knowmore.org

knowmore’s Perth office Senior Lawyer Ellie Haas and Aboriginal Engagement Advisor Margie Coyne on a recent visit to Tuart Place. 11

National Redress Scheme news Senator Dean Smith, Chair of the Joint A message from Senator Dean Smith Select Committee on Implementation of the National Redress Scheme, writes: and closure first-hand. I am “We will never stop our quest to make the National truly relieved their wait is over Redress Scheme the best it can be. and pay tribute to their courage The Scheme must evolve and adapt to provide and determination. survivors with an experience that balances efficiency 23 additional defunct and flexibility with the need to support those who have institutions are also being considered under funder of last experienced incredibly traumatic circumstances. resort provisions. We know that more needs to be done to assist They would join the more than 450 institutions Indigenous survivors, for example, especially those living in and the Commonwealth, State and Territory Governments, regional and remote areas. which are already participating in the Scheme. But recent events provide genuine cause for In total, the Scheme now covers more than 63,000 optimism. Another group that had been in urgent need sites across Australia. were the survivors of former Fairbridge Farm Schools, The latest figures reveal that 9,908 applications had whose redress was blocked by legal obstacles. been received by the Scheme, and 5,139 payments made But the Federal, Western Australian, New totalling about $432 million. South Wales, Victorian, South Australian and Tasmanian As we approach the release of the Department’s Governments have now agreed to act as funder of last Second Anniversary Review report, I encourage all survivors resort for the former Fairbridge sites, providing a pathway to come forward with their applications – including those forward for survivors. from Fairbridge, who may have been holding off until this It means that, after far too long, Fairbridge landmark agreement was reached”. survivors’ applications can finally proceed. Senator Smith’s Committee on Committee members like Senator Rachel Siewert Implementation of the National Redress Scheme is currently and I have worked closely alongside many survivors on this accepting submissions. For further information, visit: issue. http://aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/ We witnessed their hard-fought fight for compensation Joint/National_Redress_Scheme It was a change to the rules on tax exemptions that finally persuaded the Jehovah’s Witnesses to join the National Redress Scheme. The group had long held out on the basis that its religion was not responsible for children, but, under threat of losing charitable status - and related tax exemptions - it announced in March 2021 that it would opt in. Recently-introduced Australian Charities and Notfor-profit Commission standards require that registered charities take reasonable steps to join the redress scheme if

Seventy years ago, a group of 22 children were put aboard the SS Esperance Bay and set sail for Australia under the UK child migration scheme. The children were destined for Neerkol Orphanage, 22km West of Rockhampton in Queensland. Three of these children were Monica Cosby (Duff) aged 13, and Patricia Keleher (Davies) and Patsy Weekers (Barratt) both five years old. Monica remembers having to help look after the two Patsys, who were the youngest of the group. She remembers putting them to bed and sneaking off to the movies. Monica has always said the time on the ship was the best time of her life. Patsy Weekers writes: “After leaving Neerkol, we all went our separate ways, and had families of our own, but have always kept in touch with one another through two Neerkol Reunions, the National Australian Apologies and the British Apology to Former Child Migrants. “Since 1995, the three of us have reunited in 12

Jehovah’s Witnesses opt in an application has been made, or likely to be made, against them. The changes reflect increasing efforts by the Federal Government and Senator Dean Smith to induce institutions to accept responsibility for paying redress to survivors of abuse through the National Scheme. The Jehovah’s Witnesses were among six institutions ‘named and shamed’ by the Federal Government in 2020, and the third of the six to join the Scheme.

Celebrating 70 years in Australia

Rockhampton to celebrate 50, 60, now 70 years in Australia. Here we all are at the Frenchville Sports Club in February 2021, celebrating the 70th anniversary. Monica, Patricia and Patsy are Friends Forever.”

Redress for survivors of non-recent child abuse in care in Scotland Legislation to create a scheme for survivors of non-recent child abuse in care in Scotland to apply for financial redress payments of up to £100,000, as well as access to apology and support, was passed by the Scottish Parliament on 11th March 2021. The Redress for Survivors (Historical Child Abuse in Care) (Scotland) Bill will also set up an independent body, Redress Scotland, to assess applications for the scheme. Survivors will be able to apply for a fixed rate redress payment of £10,000, or an individually assessed redress payment which will involve a more detailed examination of

their experience. The individually assessed redress payment levels are set at £20,000, £40,000, £60,000, £80,000 or £100,000. This scheme will be available to Scottish former child migrants who were abused or neglected in Scottish institutions prior to their migration. In some circumstances, next of kin of deceased survivors will be able to apply for a redress payment of £10,000. Further information is available at: http://gov.scot/ news/redress-for-survivors/

Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry - Publication of child migration expert report The Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry (SCAI) continues its work, with considerable attention given to a Case Study of child migration, and gathering evidence from Scottish former child migrants. A new report by Professors Constantine, Harper and Lynch, published in early March 2021, examines the policy and practice contexts that informed UK child migration schemes between the 1880s and 1960s; the experiences of Scottish children migrated to Canada, Australia, New

Zealand and Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). The report considers the extent to which those responsible for safeguarding the health and wellbeing of children in care, failed in their duty to protect them both while they were in care in Scotland and once they had been migrated. The report is available on the SCAI website at: http://childabuseinquiry.scot/

News from Northern Ireland

Following its Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry (2014-16), a long-awaited redress scheme commenced in Northern Ireland at the end of March 2020. From 2016 onwards, Tuart Place and FACT Board member Ann McVeigh, along with other former child migrants, worked alongside Professor Patricia Lundy of Ulster University, and Rosetta Trust Chairman Gerry McCann, to advocate for improvements to the NI redress scheme, many of which were adopted in the final model. Northern Ireland’s scheme is open to eligible former child migrants and the family members of those who have died since April 1953.

Anne Hanna (nee McKillion) was born in Northern Ireland and placed in Nazareth House Londonderry when she was two years old, remaining there until she was 18. Anne was then sent to work at a laundry run by the Good Shepherd Sisters for a further three years. Anne did a lot of travelling when she left the Homes, and was a Nanny in the Middle East for 13 years. She migrated to Australia 35 years ago, and lives in Ballina NSW with her husband Ken. Anne assisted the Northern Ireland Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry, and remains in contact with the HIAI. She also stays in contact with Tuart Place and enjoys reading The Tuart Times.

Tuart Place has responded to many calls and inquiries about Northern Ireland’s new scheme, and Admin Assistant Natalie Tonking has done a great job in gathering and relaying the necessary information. Natalie has been working closely with Ian Thwaites of the Child Migrants Trust, to whom Natalie has referred many inquiries. If you wish to contact the scheme directly, call +44-28-9089-3977; email info@hiaadvocate.org.uk; or visit www.hiaredressni.uk To contact the Child Migrants Trust office in Perth, phone (08) 9472-7582.

Hello from Anne in Ballina Anne says she has good days and bad days, but feels fortunate to have good support in Ballina and a good husband. “I do miss having a family” Anne said, “They say that you never miss what you never had, but I am not so sure”. Thanks for sending us photos and news Anne. We especially like the photos of flowers in your garden.

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Mission Life The Hell of Carrolup for the Stolen Generations Edith DeGiambattista (nee Smith) was born in Kojonup in the Great Southern area of WA. Her family lived and worked on farms around the Kojonup District. In her short book, Mission Life: The Hell of Carrolup for the Stolen Generations (published in 2020), Edith writes of her early life: “We lived in tents and made open fires to cook our food, my Grandma did the cooking on open fires, we carried water in tin cans, we didn’t have a fridge. Grandad made one out of tin, we carried water from the dam to bathe. We had a good life growing up in the bush”. The kids attended a school called Lumeah on Albany Highway. When the family moved to a different farm, Edith recalls a ute pulling up one afternoon and taking them to Carrolup Native Settlement. “We were treated worse than animals”, Edith writes.

“We were locked in the dorm at night. The matron was a nasty person. She was a cruel woman. The only place I felt safe was at school”. When the Mission closed for girls, Edith was sent to a Girls Home in Perth. She wanted to do nursing but was told she had to be a housemaid, and was sent to work as a domestic in various towns around the Great Southern area. Later on, when she was living in Perth, Edith got a job with Children and Family Services, taking young kids from their foster homes to see their parents. It was a job that triggered memories of her early life. Edith writes: “Nobody cared for these children. It was happening all over again, the way we were treated in Carrolup. They were nobody’s children, pushed from one house to the next”. At the end of her book, Edith, now 86, makes the following plea: “If you have a family, please look after them yourself. No one can give children the love their mother can. Let our families stay together”. Copies of Mission Life are available At the Tuart Place Christmas gathering in 2020: (L-R) John & Edith DeGiambattista, from Tuart Place, and from the author. Dot Bagshaw, Senator Dean Smith, Peter Bagshaw, Norma Smith

The Carrolup Centre for Truth Telling

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The new Carrolup Centre at Curtin University, launched in November 2020, is intended as the permanent home for artworks created by stolen Aboriginal children at Carrolup Native Settlement in the 1940s. In 1956, New York art collector Herbert Mayer purchased a collection of Carrolup artworks, and later donated them to Colgate University, where they sat in storage for almost 50 years. A chance discovery of this unique historical collection in New York by a visiting Australian professor in 2004 created headlines around the world. Appreciating its cultural significance, Colgate University decided to repatriate the works back to Nyungar country, and after consulting with local Nyungar elders, entrusted the custodial responsibilities to Curtin University through its John Curtin Gallery. The artworks finally came home to Country in 2013. Curtin University is now embarking upon an ambitious project to create a permanent, protective home for these artworks that will become a centre for truth-telling, healing and reconciliation in perpetuity. Artwork on right: Barry Loo, On the Alert c1949, pastel on paper, 762mm x 587mm. The Herbert Mayer Collection of Carrolup Artwork, Curtin University Art Collection. Gift of Colgate University, USA, 2013.

Ian Donaldson: A gesture of solidarity and respect Ian ‘Scotty’ Donaldson is a former child migrant from Scotland who was sent to Australia under the UK Child Migration Scheme when he was nine years old. When he arrived in Australia, Ian was sent to Bindoon Boys Town, where he remained for eight years. Back in Scotland, Ian had lived at Nazareth House Aberdeen from the time he was a baby and doesn’t remember meeting his mother or father. “I remember a man and a woman came to see me at Nazareth House and asked if I wanted to go to Australia. I think they were from the Government, but I don’t know who they were. I said I would go, because I didn’t think I really had a choice.” Ian says. Ian has always felt a strong connection to the land of his birth. “One of the boys who had also been a child migrant mentioned tracing my family. I made some enquiries with the Christian Brothers Ex-residents and Students Service in Subiaco and they worked with the Child Migrant Trust to trace my family.

“A lady called Joan Kerry did some research and around 2001 I found out I had a sister in Scotland. Margaret Humphreys then came out to Australia and she took a video of me to show my sister in Scotland.” Ian recalls. Ian travelled to Scotland under the Family Restoration Fund in 2003 and met his sister and brother-inlaw. They have stayed in touch over the years but it’s hard to form a relationship with people you don’t know. “I love Australia and there’s no way I would move back to Scotland. My sister was upset, but Australia is all I know” Ian said. Ian has always felt a connection with Aboriginal people and a sense of solidarity with First Nations people, many of whom were also taken away from their family and place of birth. As a mark of respect and solidarity, Ian has painted one of his famous hand-crafted windmills in the colours of the Aboriginal Flag, and donated it to Tuart Place. Thank you Scotty - we love your work.

Carrolup Centre: Truth-telling, healing and reconciliation Tony Hansen, Chair of the Carrolup Elders Reference Group, was taken from his family at the age of three, sent to Marribank Mission (formerly known as Carrolup), and kept there until he was 18 years old. Tony writes: “The Carrolup Centre at Curtin University will commemorate how young Aboriginal children – forcibly separated from their families, isolated, segregated, traumatised and living in an

unknown place – still found beauty and connection to Country through their art. It will be an enduring reminder that while racism seeks to destroy all that is good about a people, it never can. Like water, cultural beauty and goodness always finds a way; at Carrolup, that way was through children.” Check out the Truth-tellingWA project at http://facebook.com/TruthtellingWA

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Mike Smith: “It’s never too late...” Former child migrant Michael Smith says it’s never too late to learn more about who you are and where you come from. Mike writes: “My journey started when I was born in September 1945 in a London hospital. My actual birth father was an Irish Marine stationed in the UK during the second world war. “My mother must have been a devoted Catholic as she had me baptised within a month of my birth. My stepfather – my mother’s husband – then arrived on the scene after serving overseas for three and a half years with the Navy. What made it difficult for mum to keep me was the arrival of twins 18 months after my birth. The early years after the war were tough and it was not possible for mum to feed and accommodate three babies under two years of age. Many attempts were made to have me adopted but to no avail. Some of this information only came to light recently, thanks to Natalie at Tuart Place. My initial reason for asking for assistance last year was to trace my baptismal certificate as I believed it would provide more of my early history of where I was in the UK, and who else witnessed this occasion. As It turned out it was one of my aunties. This was one of many documents that has turned up with Natalie’s help.

I’d also like to thank Irena Lyczkowska at Pathways in London for arranging to copy and post over a large collection of documents, despite the problem of COVID restrictions in the UK. Although the letters to and from my mother clearly showed that I was to stay in the UK, I was sent to Western Australia as a child migrant in August 1954. I initially arrived at Castledare, until 1957, and spent the remaining five years at CBAS Tardun, till the end of 1961. I originally wrote to the UK seeking records in 1960 with the help of one of the Brothers at Tardun, but I never did receive a reply to this letter. I am not complaining about coming to Australia, as I now believe I have had better opportunities in this country. However, I should have been able to access to my personal documents much earlier, so I would have known the answers to many of the questions I have had all my life.”

Historical Photos Collection: Thank you Joe Borg

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At Tardun in 1958: Mike is seated in front Joseph John Borg is a former child migrant from Malta who was sent to Australia in 1953, aged 12, and lived at Bindoon for five years. Cevrina and Pip were delighted to welcome Joe on his first ever visit to Tuart Place in March this year.

Joe called in to say hi and to contribute photos of a reunion at Bindoon in the early 1990s. This photo was taken at the old watertank, which was the first building project at Bindoon for which the boys provided labour. Thank you Joe, we greatly appreciate these new additions to our Historical Photos Collection.

Records Matter First global exchange on records access “Imagine the child you are writing about will read your words in 30 years’ time” We are grateful to Joanne Evans from Monash University for inviting Tuart Place to join in the inaugural Global Records Access Information Exchange, held online on 15th April 2021. Co-convened by Joanne and Gaynor Clarke from Aberdeen City Council, and supported by Social Work Scotland, 120 participants from Australia, New Zealand, Scotland, and other parts of the UK came together to share ways in which to radically improve recordkeeping for children and young people with care experiences. The 12 lightning presentations covered discussion of lifelong rights in records, approaches to writing records with love, care and kindness, pathways to better records access, and transforming current systems with people at the heart. One suggestion for today’s record keepers is to imagine the child you are writing about will be reading your words in 30 years’ time. For those providing access to out-of-home care records: Start from a position of not redacting anything, and work backwards from there. Joanne Evans says the enthusiastic response to this first Exchange demonstrates the viability of establishing an international network to bring all those chipping away at Care recordkeeping challenges to come together, share practice improvements, and advocate for more radical transformations. Plans are afoot for a follow up event in the next 4-6 months. For further information, visit: http:// socialworkscotland.org/event/global-record-accessinformation-exchange-childhood-care-records/

We had a great meeting with State Records Director Damian Shepherd on his recent visit to Tuart Place. The State Records Office is Western Australia’s public records authority with responsibility for managing, preserving and providing access to the State’s records of information. Our main contact with the SRO involves supported access to care leavers’ records. Damian made contact earlier this year, seeking input on draft guidelines being developed to enhance access to non-recent out-of-homecare records. His visit to Tuart Place in April provided a chance to share information, discuss barriers to access, as well as things that work well. The SRO is keen to improve record-keeping practices for children and young people currently in care, and avoid mistakes of the past. There is a wealth of information on the SRO website, including a collection of interesting and quirky stories from the archives: http://wa.gov.au/organisation/ state-records-office-of-western-australia/stories-thestate-archives-collection

Publication Alert:

Rights in records

This paper introduces a Charter of Lifelong Rights centred on the lifelong and diverse information and recordkeeping needs of care leavers and children in outof-home care today. The principles underpinning the Charter relate to child wellbeing and safety, self-determination, linked to archival autonomy and agency, and Indigenous Sovereignty and cultural safety. Golding, F., Lewis, A., McKemmish, S., Rolan, G., & Thorpe, K. (2021). Rights in records: A Charter of Lifelong Rights in Childhood Recordkeeping in Out-of-Home Care for Australian and Indigenous Australian children and care leavers. The International Journal of Human Rights. https://doi.org/10.1080/13642987.2020.1859484

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with Dr Dee Michell The first-ever Care Experienced History Month during April 2021 was a resounding success! In Australia, we have posted stories on social media: http://facebook. com/CEHMAU and twitter @CEHMAU from Care Experienced People around the country, hosted a successful one-day Symposium, and been part of the launch of Care Experience & Culture, a digital archive of books, films & television shows about and by Care Experienced People. We also have our own page on the international Care Experienced History Month website and have included some Australians for their

Untold Stories page. Already we’re thinking ahead to Care Experienced History Month April 2022: if you would like to be involved, contact Dee Michell and Kayt McGeary info.cehm.au@gmail.com As part of Care Experienced History Month in Australia, the Tuart Place Singers went live on Facebook on 19th April with a rousing performance of “The Leaving of Liverpool”. Well done team! You can watch the video at: http://facebook.com/ TuartPlaceFremantle/ videos/1160357321092671

Dee was made a Ward of the South Australian State in 1960 and remained in foster care for 15 years. She worked as an administrator for a multi-national corporation before going to university in her 40s, when she combined study with primary care for her three children. She now works as an academic at the University of Adelaide and is on the international Steering Group for the Care Experienced History Month.

Are you interested in telling your story? If you have had experience of Out-of-Home Care (OOCH) – living away from birth family in foster care, kinship care or another sort of residential care arrangement—we are interested in hearing your story. Researchers from the University of Adelaide and Australian Catholic University and Federation University Australia are seeking volunteers from all parts of Australia to be part of a national study. We are gathering stories of those who have been in OOCH to form part of an historical record on our Digital Hub.

Short stories, or biographies, will be posted online and accessible to people all over the world. You can send us your story in written, audio or video form, or a member of the research team can interview and create a short story from that interview. If you would like to be involved, or for more information, please contact: Dr Dee Michell Email: dee.michell@adelaide.edu.au Ph: 08 8313 3675 University of Adelaide, SA.

Australian Orphanage Museum finds a Home

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The nationally significant Australian Orphanage Museum will have a permanent home at 351 Ryrie Street, Geelong in Victoria. The museum will feature an extensive collection of artefacts, memorabilia and photographs collected from orphanages around the country or donated by Care Leavers, organisations that ran children’s homes, and members of the public. Historically, more than 900 orphanages, training schools and missions - accommodating hundreds of thousands of Australian children - were run by state governments, churches and charities. The museum will be situated in Geelong because it had 13 orphanages, the most outside any capital city in the country.

The Australian Orphanage Museum project has been years in the making for CLAN (Care Leavers Australasia Network), which for 20 years has been a determined advocate for the recognition and rights of people who were neglected and abused – sexually, physically and emotionally – in residential institutions and foster care. The museum welcomes all donations of photographs or memorabilia. You can contact CLAN at support@ clan.org.au and view objects in the museum on eHive at http://ehive.com/ collections/7029/australian-orphanage-museum Photo: Betsy the doll was donated by CLAN member Val, who had the doll for 70 years. The doll was given to Val when she was seven years old and stayed with a family for two weeks. Val felt able to donate Betsy to CLAN’s Museum after the Federal Apology in 2009.

Congratulations Katrina! Hearty congratulations to Dr Katrina Stratton MLA on winning the seat of Nedlands in the 2021 WA State election. Katrina is the first Labor MP for Nedlands and only the second woman to hold this Seat. It is an amazing achievement and everyone at Tuart Place is very proud. Katrina joined the FACT Board in 2015, and is a longstanding supporter of care leavers and Tuart Place. In her Board profile of 2019, Katrina, wrote: “I came to Tuart Place as a Board member for a lot of reasons. I knew of the great work done by Tuart Place, especially its participant leadership on the Board, and in creating the activities that take place here. I was excited to learn from Tuart Place’s model of co-design and what it might look like in the places I work. I had much to learn too - as a social worker - about what it means to people to have been in care, and how we could learn from the past to ensure we provide the children we care for with what they need. “My other reasons were personal. My husband Steve spent a number of years in Fairbridge in the 1970s from the age of five. His mum was a single parent and they came from the UK on a government scheme for single parents, the idea being their children would be looked after while the parent established a home in a new country. I lived with Steve’s care experience in lots of big and small ways. Small things like him never being able to

eat pumpkin because it was served up undercooked EVERY night at Fairbridge. To the big things I don’t need to tell you about, especially forming relationships and healing with his family. He died in 2012 in a motorbike accident. My Grandpa spent much of his later childhood at the New Norcia Mission; he was lucky enough to have carers with whom he spent every school holidays, and that consistency of love and care was a great protector for him (we know from research and life, the difference one secure adult in a child’s life can make). He considered himself lucky because of that, and he and my Grandma had a loving 60-year marriage and four children. “It is my privilege to serve on the Board of Tuart Place, to honour the experience of those two wonderful men in my life, and to work with you all to contribute in some way to our goal of Growing Strong Together”. While Katrina’s election win means she will sadly be stepping down from our Board, she remains committed to continuing to be a voice for people with a care experience. We are most grateful for Katrina’s substantial contributions to the FACT Board, and we’re excited to have a voice for Care Leavers in the WA Parliament.

Family First : A Memoir Book Review by Mary-Ann Oliver In Family First: A Memoir, Australian-born George Knox tells the story of his life so far. His family was separated when he was a small boy, then reunited after forty years. There are amazing stories of siblings working alongside each other at different times, without knowing of their family connection. George’s family was torn apart by the violence of an abusive father. The children were made Wards of the State - George and his brother Bob lived at Castledare and Clontarf, amidst great difficulties. Their sisters were sent to St Joseph’s, while younger brothers were fostered and adopted. At the age of 17, George joined the Royal Australian Air Force, and his life began to resemble an amazing adventure tale, including a posting at the Woomera nuclear testing grounds. After his time in the Air Force, George travelled to Canada where he met his wife Judith, to whom he has been married more than fifty years. George joined the Department of Foreign Affairs and began his diplomatic career in cold war Russia. Later they moved to Santiago de Chile where they suffered the loss of their youngest child, for whom George still grieves.

After what could have been a poisoning attempt by the Americans, George and his family returned to Russia for a year, before being ejected, to their great relief and pleasure. George and Judith then turned their talents in a new direction, running a restaurant on the Gold Coast. When this had run its course, George returned to working with diplomats, and ultimately joined the Federal Government as a Protocol Officer, facilitating visits of foreign presidents and prime ministers. George is a great storyteller, and the pain and joy he experienced across his life is vivid. Family First: A Memoir. Ward of the State – RAAF Maralinga Nuclear Tests Veteran – Cold War Diplomat – Businessman – Protocol Officer. Author: George J Knox (410 pages; published in 2020) Available from http://blokesworld.com/ 19

VALE NOTICES

Tardun Old Boys’ Association Inc.

TOBA extends condolences to the families of Tardun old boys who have passed away. • Alfred Spiteri • Tom (Ray) Haydon

Terence (Terry) Humphreys 19-7-37 – 2-10-20 Terry Humphreys was born in Winchester, England. He arrived in Australia as a child migrant when he was ten years old, and was sent to Bindoon. Terry was well known and loved by the people of Tuart Place. His old friend Paddy Cannon writes: “I feel like I’ve lost a brother in Terry. Terry and his older brother Laurie were in Bindoon Boys Town with me in 1947. We were like family in those days. I thank the late Laurie and Terry who came to my aid in 1948 when as a skinny boy I was being bullied by the bigger boys. Laurie and Terry gave me great joy and helped me to get on with my life. Bless you Laurie and Terry”.

Norma Yarran (nee Walley) 19-10-51 – 10-10-20

Norma was born in Goomalling and her early childhood was spent on the Goomalling Reserve. Norma was a member of the Stolen Generations and was taken to New Norcia Mission alongside her siblings and cousins. As the eldest, Norma always had a caring and loving nature towards others. She was a cherished grandma, aunt, niece, and friend to many. Our sincere condolences to David Walley on the loss of his sister Norma Rose, and to the Walley and Yarran families.

Dawn Wood (nee Nybo)

29-9-50 – 22-10-20

Dawn Wood (nee Nybo) was born in Bunbury, and was one of ten children. At the age of nine, Dawn was placed at the Salvation Army Girls Home in Cottesloe, where she remained for seven years. In her later years, Dawn lived with her beloved husband Simon in Donnybrook WA. Sincere condolences to Simon, Brendan and Natalie, and Dawn’s sister Barbara Jean.

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Marie Thorne was a respected Noongar Elder who raised seven children of her own and fostered 12 others. Marie, a resident of Hilton for around 30 years, passed away in September 2020, aged 85. Marie was a long-term member of Fremantle council’s Aboriginal Reference Group and Walyalup Reconciliation Group, and won the Fremantle Heritage Award for her tireless work within her community, securing emergency accommodation and shelter for homeless and other vulnerable people. The late Marie Thorne was awarded the inaugural Sealin Garlett Award for Community Leadership in November 2020.

A tribute to Marie Thorne

Marie passed away without knowing she had been nominated for the Award, which was presented posthumously, and was accepted by Marie’s son Fred Penny and granddaughter Vernadine Lee Penny. In presenting the Award, Fremantle Mayor Brad Pettitt said that Marie’s gentle nature belied her determination, and that she had dedicated her life to improving the life of anyone experiencing disadvantage. “Marie took her duty of care for her extended family extremely seriously and her generosity and kindness led her to accept any and all requests for help without regard to her own circumstances”. Rest in Peace Marie.

Remembering Michael Bowman Each year a group of Clontarf Old Boys gathers to pay their respects to Michael Bowman, who lost his life at the age of 12 in a bus crash in Serpentine on 15th December 1955. Michael was born in Sussex England in 1943, and was sent to Australia as a child migrant when he was eight years old. Michael was placed at Castledare, where he lived for two years before being transferred to Clontarf Boys Town. The 1955 Clontarf bus crash remains a traumatic memory for those who were on the bus the day it collided with another vehicle on the South Western Highway. Many of the 53 children aboard sustained serious injuries and trauma, while tragically young Michael lost his life. Across the years, a group of Clonnie Boys has determinedly kept Michael’s memory alive. They have

arranged for the installation of plaques, and ongoing restoration of Michael’s gravesite at Clontarf and memorial at Serpentine, which is listed on the Monument Australia website: https://monumentaustralia.org.au/themes/ people/tragedy/display/61129-michael-bowman Thank you to Mike Carroll and Dennis McNerney for providing this photo of the group who attended the 2020 Michael Bowman Commemoration, held at Clontarf on 15th December last year.

Funding and donations Since it was formally launched in 2012, Tuart Place has received its core operational funding from the State Government, and continues to receive essential financial support from the WA Department of Communities. Equally important to the continuing operation of Tuart Place are the unconditional donations received from non-government organisations that formerly provided institutional care to children. In addition to State Government grants, Tuart Place receives unconditional financial contributions from Catholic past providers the Christian Brothers, the Sisters of Mercy and the Sisters of Nazareth, and from other non-government past providers of institutional care in Western Australia. Financial support from all past providers is greatly appreciated by the people of Tuart Place, and is consistent with the Healing and Reconciliation agenda initiated by Tuart Place participants. The importance of past providers funding support services has been widely acknowledged. For example, in its Report on Redress and Civil Litigation, the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child

Sexual Abuse noted that it is especially important for some survivors that support is ‘funded by the institutions responsible for the abuse’. In addition to organisational donations, Tuart Place also receives donations from care leavers and from members of the general public. Some care leavers make donations to Tuart Place as a way of ‘giving back’ to the organisation, and supporting our common goal of Growing Strong Together.

To donate to Tuart Place As a Public Benevolent Institution with Gift Deductible Recipient status, donations to Tuart Place are tax deductible. Donations can be made via PayPal on the Tuart Place website; by cheque, or Electronic Funds Transfer. Account name: Forgotten Australians Coming Together Inc Bank: Commonwealth Bank Branch: Fremantle WA BSB number: 066-107 Account number: 1048-4327

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Tuart Place: Best-practice support Tuart Place is wholly committed to providing a service of excellence that responds to the unique circumstances of people who experienced out-of-home care during childhood. The central pillars of Tuart Place are safety, participant (care leaver) leadership and engagement, and a genuinely trauma-sensitive approach focussed on the needs and wishes of the individual. There can be nothing more powerful, and potentially healing, than connecting with others with shared experiences. A great strength of Tuart Place is that it provides opportunities for this to happen – either informally, at the drop-in centre and social events, or through the weekly support group. People say they like the informal approach of Tuart Place where they can ‘dip in and out’ of services as needs arise.

Given that trust is often so difficult for survivors, it is not surprising that many people first approach us with a ‘safe’ enquiry – such as locating personal records or joining in social activities – as a way of checking out if this is a safe place to go deeper – perhaps through counselling or discussing a claim for childhood abuse. Tuart Place has decades of experience in working with people to find the claims process that best suits their needs, and our staff is well equipped to talk about the various options. We always recommend getting legal advice, and can make warm referrals to trusted legal services. We also get legal feedback on all our National Redress applications and work closely with knowmore Legal Service to achieve the best possible outcome for people who decide to take part in the Scheme.

“It’s all about individual choice”

Individual counselling at Tuart Place

Sarah Regan Counsellor Redress Consultant

Face-to-face individual counselling and therapeutic group support are key features of the Tuart Place model. The service we offer is unique. Our staff are experts in the therapeutic support of adults who experienced childhood trauma and abuse – particularly in institutional and religious settings. The flexibility of our counselling model also sets us apart from other agencies. The pace and length of counselling are catered to individual needs and people often ‘dip in and out’ of counselling as needed. Tuart Place was using this trauma-informed approach long before the child abuse Royal Commission found it was ‘best practice’ for counselling survivors of institutional abuse. The Royal Commission’s findings affirmed and validated our approach, and helped to raise community awareness about trauma-sensitive counselling practice. Contact Reception at Tuart Place to find out more about our specialist counselling services.

Dickon Oxenburgh Counsellor Phone Outreach

Gordon Paton Psychotherapist (Mondays) 22

Susy Vaughan Senior Therapist Support Group Faciliator

Catherine Carr Counsellor Redress Consultant

“The Royal Commission affirmed our model of trauma-sensitive practice and helped raise awareness of it in the community”

Meet Mary-Ann Mary-Ann Oliver is a counselling student in the final year of a degree at Notre Dame University. She started a fieldwork placement at Tuart Place in February 2021. As a younger person, Mary-Ann worked with Psychiatric Services as an Occupational Therapy Assistant, and has had a range of other jobs – she is a horticulturalist and really enjoys talking about, and doing, gardening. She also loves camping in the south of WA. Since starting her placement in February, Mary-Ann has been providing support and getting to know people through phone outreach; some face-to-face counselling sessions; and through hearing people’s stories. If you would like to talk with someone who is good at listening, feel free to a have a chat with Mary-Ann.

Remote support from Tuart Place Telephone counselling continues to be an important part of the support services offered by Tuart Place. The need for ‘remote’ counselling and support increased dramatically during the COVID-19 lockdowns, when staff and volunteer counsellors reached out by phone to people who would otherwise come into the Centre, and to care leavers who needed help to link with essential services. There is a real need for remote support among our community of care leavers, particularly those who are housebound or live a long way from Tuart Place.

The demand for this kind of support has continued past the lockdowns, with many people continuing to access ongoing support by phone, or Zoom, and sometimes e-mail. A growing number of people now receive regular phone calls for either a friendly social chat or for a more indepth phone counselling appointment. To find out more or to book an individual phone call, contact Reception at Tuart Place.

Help with National Redress at Tuart Place

Jan Newman Social Worker Redress Consultant

If you would like to know more about the National Redress Scheme or get help completing the application form, book a confidential appointment with Jan, Sarah or Catherine at Tuart Place. Tuart Place staff can also provide support throughout the process, in accordance with the individual wishes of each person. Our Redress Support staff are highly experienced and sensitive to the needs of people undertaking redress processes. Each and every application we prepare is reviewed by a specialist lawyer prior to submitting. To find out more, contact Reception at Tuart Place on 1800-619-795.

Meet Meagan Meagan Court is a student social worker studying at Curtin University. She started a fieldwork placement at Tuart Place in February 2021. As well as getting to know lots of people at Tuart Place, Meagan is spending time at the City of Fremantle, conducting interviews and preparing a report on the City’s Neighbour to Neighbour community initiative, which started up during the first COVID-19 lockdown in WA. There was a huge outpouring of

support for this project, with 500 volunteers contacting thousands of Fremantle residents while they were isolated at home. If you were or are part of Fremantle’s Neighbour to Neighbour program, please have a chat with Meagan about your experiences! A large group of Tuart Place regulars attended a wonderful presentation by Meagan in the Common Room area on 19th April. Everyone agreed that Meagan will be a great social worker and has a bright future ahead. 23

A day trip to Penguin Island; a weekend away at Fairbridge Pinjarra; visits to the Museum to see the Vikings and My Country exhibitions; a tour of Fremantle Prison; a tour of Optus (‘Redress’) stadium; lunch at Cicerello’s on Fremantle Wharf; and a tour of the underwater Observatory at Busselton Jetty are just some of the adventures we’ve had in recent times. More than 200 guests joined us for the Tuart Place Christmas party at the Esplanade Hotel in December – what a day that was! And – despite COVID – we were fortunate enough to be able to enjoy a wonderful annual picnic at Waterford, with a bumper crowd in attendance.

Events and Outings

In between the lockdowns we have also managed to host many of our regular in-house events, such as singalongs with Outback Paddy, Carmel & Lynda and of course our usual St Patrick’s Day celebration. We’re looking forward to more good times in the coming months – keep an eye out for ‘What’s On’ and the Tuart Place Events Calendar arriving in your letterbox soon!

March 2021: Day trip to Penguin Island. Photo courtesy of Kevin Collins

Computer, mobile phone and IT help at Tuart Place Whatever your skill level (even if you’ve never turned on a computer before) can get individual tuition from Tuart Place. you Our friendly volunteers will assist with your iPad, mobile phone or digital camera, or help you learn skills such as browsing the internet, sending emails, scanning photos and accessing services online. Contact Reception on 1800-619-795 to book an individual appointment with one of our IT volunteers at Tuart Place, or to receive help over the phone. Tuart Place has free, secure Wi-Fi available to all visitors.

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Annual picnic & BBQ at Waterford

2020 Christmas Party

Connecting with Care Leavers in the South West by Tuart Place Senior Therapist & Staff Manager Susy Vaughan Not everyone can come in to Tuart Place, and a suggestion by Busselton resident Dale Lynch got us thinking about how to expand our outreach program. Dale, who is a care leaver and ViceChairperson of our Board, had pointed out that many care leavers living in South West WA don’t get a chance to join in Tuart Place activities because they live too far away. While our phone outreach/ counselling services are Australia-wide, there’s nothing like face-to-face contact for social connection. Dale, who also volunteers at Busselton Jetty, had the great idea of arranging a Jetty tour. He worked with Jo at Tuart Place to arrange the event and publicise it locally. We posted invitations to care

leavers living South of Safety Bay, and Dale used his networks through Lanterns House, the Men’s Shed, and other groups to spread the word. On 25th March, 35 care leavers gathered at the Jetty where they were met by Dale and Cevrina, and Pip and Susy from Tuart Place. What a great day it was! We all had a delicious takeaway fish & chip lunch on the train as we travelled the 1.7km journey along the jetty. We then enjoyed a tour of the Underwater Observatory finding out about the history of the jetty and marvelling at the beautiful coral and fish. The trip was a huge success and we’re already planning for our next day out in the South West. Nice work Dale! FACT Inc Vice-Chair Dale Lynch

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Tuart Place’s 2021 Winter Warmer Save the date:

Monday 12th July, 2021

Great food and entertainment at Tuart Place. A reminder will be posted out closer to the date.

WHAT’S ON? REGULAR EVENTS • Every Monday: Singing group 10.30am-12pm • & the Big Monday Lunch at noon

NOTICE OF MEETING 2021 AGM

In accordance with Rule 16 of the Rules of Association of Forgotten Australian Coming Together (FACT) Inc., notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting of the Association will be held at Tuart Place, 24 High Street, Fremantle at 12 noon, Wednesday 13th October 2021.

• Every Monday: Counselling sessions available with psychotherapist Gordon Paton, by appointment • Every Monday: Computers & mobile phone help from 10.30am • Every Wednesday: Susy’s Support Group 10.30am-12 noon • Every Wednesday: Computers & mobile phone help, from 10.30am. • Every 2nd Thursday: Craft with Vera 10.30am - 12 noon • Every 2nd Thursday: Computers & mobile phone help, from 10.30am.

To donate to Tuart Place:

Account Name: Forgotten Australians Coming Together Inc Bank: Commonwealth Bank Branch: Fremantle, WA BSB number: 066-107 Account number: 1048-4327

Singing on Mondays with Ginny Come along and join in the Monday morning Singing Group at 10.30am - followed by our Big Lunch at 12 noon. Everyone is welcome!

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What happens at Tuart Place? Tuart Place is the State funded service for care leavers: the Forgotten Australians, former child migrants from the UK and Malta, and members of the Stolen Generations and their descendants.

Where is Tuart Place? Tuart Place is located in the old Cleo’s Hotel at 24 High Street, in the West End of Fremantle, near the historic Roundhouse. There is no on-site parking, so some of our visitors park at South Beach and catch the Blue Central Area Transit (CAT) Bus, which stops close by in Phillimore Street, just after Cliff Street. If you are travelling on foot from Fremantle Train Station, Tuart Place is a five minute walk.

Free legal advice With lawyer Gary Dean, by appointment. Call Reception to book a phone, Zoom or personal consultation with Gary at Tuart Place to discuss any general legal concerns or questions.

High Street Happenings

15th End-of-Year Barbecue

January & February 2021 Issue 13

Tuart Place provides individual counselling, telephone counselling, support groups, social activities, assistance with non-recent abuse complaints & Redress applications, volunteering opportunities, IT support & training, visiting health & legal services, family tracing, assistance to access records, and help in dealing with other agencies. All services are free of charge.

Support Group with Susy on Wednesdays 10.30am - 12 noon Join us for a cuppa first. No need to book.

“High Street Happenings” The ‘High Street Happenings’ is a newsletter produced by Tuart Place participants that is published every two months. It’s full of interesting stories and photos of things that have happened at 24 High Street, and news about upcoming events and outings. You can pick up a printed version at Tuart Place or send us your email address to receive the electronic version. The fabulous High Street Happenings is also available on the Tuart Place website at www.tuartplace.org/news-events/ high-street-happenings/

(Sun 15-11-20)

Dave M, Sen Dean Smith, Sen Rachel Siewert, Pip, The Hon Simone McGurk, Peter L, Susy

Tuart Times enquiries Christmas Lunch for 210 people at the Esplanade Hotel (Mon 14-12-20) High Street Happenings is a two-monthly newsletter produced by participants of Tuart Place

Newsletter Editor: Philippa White Newsletter enquiries/contributions: via email to admin@tuartplace.org

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Opening Hours

24 High Street Fremantle WA 6160 Phone (08) 6140-2380 Freecall: 1800-619-795 Email: admin@tuartplace.org Web: www.tuartplace.org

Vera and her fabulous Krafty Ladies at Tuart Place

Our Eco Policy The Tuart Times is published by PK Print, a West Australian company certified by the Sustainable Green Print and Green Stamp Programs. These programs assist the printing industry to reduce waste and increase recycling. PK Print is certified for Level 2 in both Programs.

Drop in Centre: 9.00am to 4.30pm Monday Wednesday Thursday Redress support on Tuesdays, by appointment only

Krafty Thursdays Every second Thursday, from 10.30am

Like us on Facebook Have you liked the Tuart Place Facebook page yet? It’s a great way to stay in touch as we post lots of photos from events and also keep you up to date with relevant issues and things that are coming up. Find us at www.facebook.com/ TuartPlaceFremantle