Marribank

Marribank

Queensland Government, Doomadgee (4 February 2015) Queensland Government
https://www.qld.gov.au/atsi/cultural-awareness-heritage-arts/community-histories-doomadgee/

Ken Granger and Hayley Freemantle, 18°S 139°E Doomadgee – Queensland by Degrees (2009) Royal Geographical Society of Queensland
http://www.rgsq.org.au/18-139c

Ganeang dialectical group of the Noongar nation (also known as the Kaniyang people) Ganeang dialect of the Noongar language Noongar in the south-west. Anangu in Central Australia. WA

Submission 674 - Baptist Churches of Western Austr Institutional WA WA

In retrospect, however, the Baptist Churches of Western Australia acknowledges that the institutionalised nature of the arrangements in the earlier years, the transfer of children between houseparents, the limited number of trained staff, and the paucity of resources available, did not provide the optimum family-replacement support for already deprived children. ... the care provided fell far short of standards being developed in WA at the time. This was inevitable, and in this respect Marribank was no different to similar organisations such as Roelands, Parkerville etc. Deficiencies were due to recurrent problems of recruiting and maintaining suitable staff, including relief and support staff, unsuitable buildings, the isolation of Marribank, and the formidable costs involved in running a child care institution (submission 674 pages 2 and 12).; p. 253 In retrospect, however, Baptist Churches of Western Australia acknowledges that its efforts to reach out with Christian compassion, practical care and spiritual help were unfortunately combined with an unconscious complicity with the Government policy of assimilation of 'part-Aboriginal' people. While rightly deploring the degrading impact of European settlement upon Aboriginal peoples, and taking no part in the removal of children, Baptist Churches of Western Australia failed to provide a clear prophetic voice to challenge the Government policies of the day and the general community philosophy of racial superiority. We failed to publicly proclaim, in respect of Aboriginal and Islander peoples, the Biblical view of the intrinsic worth of all people as individuals made in God's image (Baptist Churches of Western Australia submission 674 page 2).; (with the Aboriginal and Islander Baptist Committee of WA) p. 364 The staff members who served at Marribank [WA], the scatter homes and the hostels, with few exceptions, were not trained for cross-cultural work. Many acknowledge that they knew little of the cultures of the Aboriginal tribal groups. This had the inevitable effect of further isolating the children from their Aboriginal heritage. One of the social workers comments: Aboriginal values, traditions, and cultural mores were ignored in the care arrangements that were made for the children (Baptist Churches of WA and the Aboriginal and Islander Baptist Committee of WA submission 674 Page 15).

Submission 674 - Baptist Churches of Western Australia