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Remembering the Forgotten Australians
Nov. 16th, 2009 11:23 pmThe Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, said 'sorry' (MP3 file) to those who were neglected or abused as state wards. As someone who was a state ward from eight to my eighteenth birthday, it has given me opportunity to thank Mr. Rudd for his concern, and to compose a few words of my own experiences on the subject.
( On Being A State Ward; Abuse and Neglect. Possible Triggers. )
Somehow out of all this I managed to finish my year twelve and sat university entrance exams including History and Ancient History despite having not actually having taken the courses themselves. By this stage, I was also quite involved in what was a Marxist political organisation. Receiving good marks, I had offers from all four universities in the state; I chose Murdoch and thus began another chapter of my life.
I don't want to make it sound that my experiences as a state ward were all bad. There was some very enjoyable YMCA camps that I was sent to, which had a high degree of freedom. The private education that the state paid for was of a very high quality, albeit with a sectarian religious component. The carers at at the Short Term Crisis Centre (where I stayed for over six months) were kind and intelligent. In many ways becoming a state ward for me was beneficial; certainly being in the Catherine McAulley Centre was largely an improvement from 'home' life. Indeed, despite all I have written the worst aspect of my childhood was the relentless and grinding poverty. Neglected and abused? Well, yes, I know that experience. It was almost inevitable part of being raised in the wrong social class. But the experience of being a state ward could have been worse, and for many others it was. For them, Mr. Rudd, apology accepted. Don't let it happen again.
( On Being A State Ward; Abuse and Neglect. Possible Triggers. )
Somehow out of all this I managed to finish my year twelve and sat university entrance exams including History and Ancient History despite having not actually having taken the courses themselves. By this stage, I was also quite involved in what was a Marxist political organisation. Receiving good marks, I had offers from all four universities in the state; I chose Murdoch and thus began another chapter of my life.
I don't want to make it sound that my experiences as a state ward were all bad. There was some very enjoyable YMCA camps that I was sent to, which had a high degree of freedom. The private education that the state paid for was of a very high quality, albeit with a sectarian religious component. The carers at at the Short Term Crisis Centre (where I stayed for over six months) were kind and intelligent. In many ways becoming a state ward for me was beneficial; certainly being in the Catherine McAulley Centre was largely an improvement from 'home' life. Indeed, despite all I have written the worst aspect of my childhood was the relentless and grinding poverty. Neglected and abused? Well, yes, I know that experience. It was almost inevitable part of being raised in the wrong social class. But the experience of being a state ward could have been worse, and for many others it was. For them, Mr. Rudd, apology accepted. Don't let it happen again.