A. O. Neville

From Freepedia

Auber Octavius Neville (October 20, 1875–April 18, 1954) was a bureaucrat in Western Australia.

Born in Northumberland, England, Neville emigrated to Australia as a child. In 1897 he went from Victoria to Western Australia and joined the civil service there, where he quickly rose through the ranks.

In 1915 Neville was appointed the second Chief Protector of Aborigines. During the next quarter-century, he presided over the now notorious 'Stolen Generation' policy of removing mixed-race Aboriginal children from their parents. In 1936 Neville became the Commissioner for Native Affairs, a post he held until his retirement in 1940.

In his twilight years Neville continued to actively promote his policy. He died in Perth, and was buried in Karrakatta cemetery.

He was portrayed as the public face of the policy in the 2002 film Rabbit Proof Fence, (played by Kenneth Branagh) and Jack Davis' 1985 play No Sugar.