The Stolen Generations and the need for a national apology

From the outset of non-Indigenous occupation of Australia, governments have carried out or sanctioned the removal of Aboriginal children from their families, particularly so-called 'half-cast' children. These 'stolen' children were raised in institutions or fostered out to white families. In most cases they were completely cut off from any contact with their families and culture, under policies of 'assimilation' intended to erase their Aboriginality. Many found themselves used as cheap labour or servants, or subject to abuse by the institutions charged with their care.

In May 1995 the National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from Their Families was established. The Inquiry's final report, Bringing Them Home, concluded that in the period from 1910 to 1970, when the practice was at its peak, between 10 and 30 per cent of Indigenous children were forcibly removed from their families and communities. No family was unaffected. Yet the non-Indigenous community has been largely ignorant of this history and the trauma it caused. The needs of its victims and their families remained unaddressed.

The Inquiry undertook an extensive program of hearings throughout Australia and received 777 submissions from individuals and groups, including churches and governments.

A national apology

A central recommendation of the Inquiry was the need for a national apology to those individuals and their families affected by past policies of removal. Members of the Stolen Generations have indicated that recognition by the Government that the policies were wrong would help in addressing the trauma and suffering that they have experienced. The need for a national apology is also regarded as an important component of the broader reconciliation process between Indigenous and non-indigenous Australians.

Nevertheless, the current Prime Minister, John Howard, has refused outright to make such an apology, citing concern that such an action would unfairly imply the guilt and responsibility of present generations who were not involved in the carrying out of forcible removals.

However, the recommendation for a national apology specifically rejected such an imputation - a conclusion which has been widely endorsed by the many sectors of the Australian community which have embraced the opportunity to say "sorry". As Inquiry Commissioner and Bringing Them Home co-author, Mick Dodson observed:

Above all, the Government's refusal to apologise stands in sharp contrast to the plethora of formal apologies from Parliaments around Australia, churches, community groups, ethnic organisations, schools, local governments, unions, peak NGOs, and the thousands of individual Australians who have signed petitions, written letters and publicly declared their sorrow. Indeed these groups, and many individual Australians, have felt compelled to make it clear that they directly endorse the Commission's recommendation that there be a national apology.

Many of these responses were facilitated by a further recommendation of the Inquiry that a national 'Sorry Day' be held. The National Sorry Day Committee was formed and the first Sorry Day was held in 1998, involving the launching of Sorry Books, which have been signed by over half a million Australians. In May 1999, Sorry day was re-launched as the 'Journey of Healing'.

Pressure remains on the Federal Government to make an apology on behalf of the nation. In response, the then Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs, Senator Herron, presented a callous submission to a Parliamentary Inquiry on the Stolen Generations in 2000, denying the existence of a 'stolen generation' on the basis that only about 10% of Indigenous children were removed from their parents.

Clearly, we will have to wait for the next Government to make a national apology. In the meantime you can still record your own expression of sorrow by logging on to the Apology Australia website.

A Reparations Tribunal

A further and more substantive response called for in the Bringing Them Home Report and subsequently by others, is the establishment of a Reparations Tribunal to deal with compensation to affected stolen generations individuals.

The federal government has rejected the idea, instead pouring millions of dollars into fighting civil compensation cases brought by stolen generations individuals denied compensation by the government. The Gunner and Cubillo cases, for example, have been vigorously fought by the Australian Government, with costs well over $10 million to date.

Government's $63 million package

Despite rejecting a national apology and the establishment of a Reparations Tribunal, the Federal Government set aside $63million over four years (1998-2001) to address Bringing Them Home's recommendations. However, this money was directed to only 17 of the report's 54 recommendations, including mental health, parenting and family support services, family reunion services, an oral history project, language and culture projects and a records project. A further $54million over four years from 2002 has been set aside.

Are We Helping Them Home?

In November 2002, the National Sorry Day Committee released a report, Are We Helping Them Home? Surveys of progress in the implementation of the Bringing Them Home recommendations by November 2002. The report outlines the lack of progress in addressing the recommendations of Bringing Them Home as a result of the Federal Government's flawed handling of its $63 million package. The report calls for a proper consultation process with stolen generations people about use of the funds and for a monitoring body to be set up to evaluate progress on Bringing Them Home recommendations.

The Federal Government also came under fire for its lack of consultation with stolen generations people over the design of a commemorative 'sliver' about the stolen generations as part of Reconciliation Place in Canberra. Agreement has finally been reached on the wording and the memorial is due to be opened in May 2004.

Further information:

Library & Links - see under 'Stolen Generations'
Are We Helping Them Home? - [Word - 275KB] - Report by the National Sorry Day Committee, 2002.
It's Time to Stop the Geonocide - ANTaR Victoria media release
Cubillo-Gunner judgement makes case for national 'stolen generations' tribunal - ANTaR media release