South Australian Parliament to Discuss Recognition of WWII Internment Hardship

South Australian Parliament to Discuss Recognition of WWII Internment Hardship

By SONJA DECHIAN | Published: NOVEMBER 10, 2011

A motion to recognize the suffering and hardship caused by internment in Australian camps during World War Two will be debated in the South Australian parliament today.

People of Japanese, German and Italian backgrounds, along with others, were detained as ‘enemy aliens’ in camps around the country, including Loveday, in the South Australian Riverland. At its peak in 1943, Loveday held 5382 people.

The motion states ‘most people were primarily interned on the basis of their cultural heritage, on the mistaken belief that it posed an unreasonable risk, and not for any validated criminal or security concerns.’

The motion was moved by State Labor MP, Tony Piccolo, who said he wanted to recognize the ‘pain, suffering, grief and hardship experienced by the people who were interned and their families.’