Review call as elder says ‘System fails our children'

He used his daughter Shara’s funeral to fire a broadside at federal and state governments, as well as challenging young indigenous leaders to take a stand.

“Governments must immediately look at ways of changing policy on how they deal with Aboriginal families,” Mr Clarke said.

“Aboriginal organisations must stop being ‘yes people’ to governments and show leadership.

“It worries us older Aboriginal people that the younger leadership is reluctant to stand their ground.

“We have ownership of our problems and must lead the way.”

Ms Clarke died last month at the age of 37, leaving three children aged from 15 years to 20 months. 

She had dealings with the justice system and child protection agencies, which resulted in some of her children being removed from her custody at various times.

At one stage, Ms Clarke claimed to have been injured while in a metropolitan police station.

“We spent years fighting the government — I’m going to continue that fight in her honour,” said Mr Clarke, who sits as an elder on the Warrnambool Koori Court.

“She died too young. In many ways the situation for our people is much worse than it was in the ’60s.

“It’s a social experiment that has gone badly, badly wrong.

“Here in Victoria we have the most children in out-of-home care than any other state or territory and the worst per capita in Australian history.”

He said he would ask the state ministers to urgently review the system.

“There are plans afoot to beef up a campaign called the Shara Project which will look at ways of convincing governments to look at alternative and more humane ways when dealing with Aboriginal women, their families and extended families,” Mr Clarke said.

He said his daughter had been terrified of having her youngest child taken from her and even hid her pregnancy from family and friends.