Friday 1 July 2022 12:15 PM Uncle Jack Charles 're-traumatised' after he is asked to prove he is Aboriginal ... trends now
A prominent Indigenous elder has been 're-traumatised' and has accused an Australian government committee of racism after he was asked to prove his ancestry.
Uncle Jack Charles said he was shocked after a 'distressing' phone call from a Stolen Generations Advisory Committee (SGAC) staff member demanded proof of his First Nations heritage to receive a second reparation payment of $80,000.
The award-wining Aboriginal actor, activist and musician received the first $20,000 instalment under the Stolen Generations Reparation scheme without having to prove his heritage.
Uncle Jack Charles (pictured with Karla Grant, host of SBS's national Indigenous current affairs program Living Black) has accused a government committee of racism after he was asked to prove his 'Aboriginality' to receive a reparation payment
In an interview on Melbourne's ABC Radio Drive program on Friday, Mr Charles said the committee worker told him proof of 'Aboriginality' was needed after a number of people were falsely claiming to be Indigenous.
'The point of fact here is it's me they're talking to,' Mr Charles told host Mary Gearin.
'I'm a well-known Aboriginal ... I'm a man of many nations - it's been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that I am Aboriginal.
'It strikes me that they can't differentiate between people taking advantage of the system and the likes of myself.'
The Wiradjuri, Boon Warrung, Dja Dja Wurrung, Woiwurrung and Yorta Yorta man has traced his heritage back to his 'five times great-grandfather' Mannalargenna.
The First Nations activist was the first elder to speak at Victoria's Yoorrook Justice Commission and the first Indigenous recipient of a Lifetime Achievement award from Victoria's Green Room Awards.
He also received an Australian Council of the Arts Red Ochre Award for most-outstanding Indigenous artist in 2019 and was honoured as the Victorian Senior of the Year in 2015.
The award-winning Indigenous activist, actor and musician spoke to the Stolen Generations Advisory Committee staff member regarding the $80,000 second instalment under the reparation scheme (Pictured, Uncle Jack Charles on ABC's weekly art show Art Works)
Mr Charles said he has sat on a panel to chose the state's NAIDOC award winners and is even featured in
