26/05/2026
We need to move from Sorry to Action ๐ค๐โค๏ธ๐๐ค๐๐๐ฝ
On National Sorry Day, 29 years on from the 1997 ๐๐ณ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ฎ ๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฆ report, we pay respect to the strength, hope and courage of our people, families and communities affected by policies of forced child removal.
It is this strength, hope and courage that we must continue to support. It must also be honoured through meaningful action that helps bring healing to the survivors, families and communities affected by these policies.
In 1999 Peter Beattie, on behalf of Queensland, apologised to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities for the stateโs role in the Stolen Generations.
In 2008 Kevin Rudd, on behalf of Australia, did the same.
Acknowledging past harm was a necessary step, as was expressing regret.
But an apology without change is just words.
Action matters too.
We need to move ๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ ๐ฆ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป.
Many survivors are in their Elder years and continue to encounter institutions and systems that are re-traumatising. We owe it to the survivors still with us โ and the families of those who have passed โ to take swift and meaningful action to address past wrongs.
Survivors need:
๐ธ Access to a community-controlled redress scheme, regardless of the state or territory they were removed from.
๐ธ Culturally safe, community-controlled and affordable aged care, health and healing services.
๐ธ Prioritised access to the records that hold their histories and stories, managed through a single community-controlled system that respects data sovereignty and cultural safety.
