Anniversary of the Apology to the Stolen Generations

Release Date:
Speech

Healing Foundation Concert

Thank you Paul House and Matilda House for that beautiful Welcome to Country.

I acknowledge Traditional Owners and Custodians of all of the country and waters across our great land –

And particularly acknowledge the Ngunnawal and Ngambri peoples.

I pay my respect to their Elders past and present –

To all the Stolen Generation survivors and their descendants – welcome.

I acknowledge the survivors that we have lost in the last year.

Giants like Uncle Archie Roach and Uncle Jack Charles -

This is the first National Apology Anniversary event without them –

And their legacy of healing lives on.

As Uncle Archie sang:

“One sweet day all the children came back.

The children came back

Back where the hearts grow strong.

Back where they all belong.

The children came back.

Back where they understand

Back to their mother’s land

The children came back.”

To the Healing Foundation – thank you for all the work you do to ensure the enduring healing needs of the stolen generations, their families, and communities remain front-of-mind for as many of the population as possible.

Your work is vital in making sure governments and policy-makers understand what survivors and their families need to heal.

The Healing Foundation’s CEO, Fiona Cornforth, was right when she said:

“Removal is the origin of trauma for too many of our peoples … Inter-generational trauma can end with inter-generational healing.”

The first step for many in a healing journey is to hear a heart-felt and genuine apology -

In 1992, Paul Keating famously acknowledged, so powerfully, that it was non-Aboriginal Australians that:

Took the children from their mothers” –

He spoke of prejudice and ignorance, the effects of which we still deal with today.

15 years later Kevin Rudd delivered the Apology, formally, and unconditionally –

When he said:

“We apologise especially for the removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families, their communities and their country.

For the pain, suffering and hurt of these Stolen Generations, their descendants and for their families left behind, we say sorry.

To the mothers and the fathers, the brothers and the sisters, for the breaking up of families and communities, we say sorry.”

Now, 15 years on again, we can consider the importance of this statement.

The Apology was also catalyst for important practical change – like the Closing the Gap targets.

For a Territories redress scheme that has been in place since 2021.

And importantly, it kindled hope for the next steps on the road to true reconciliation expressed in the Uluru Statement from the Heart.

I know that some people who boycotted that historic day in 2008 have since expressed their regret.

They now admit that it was a mistake –

Don’t make the same mistake again.

When a generous and gracious hand is outstretched – in partnership – it should be grasped.

It should be grasped.

To do anything else would be to repeat the mistakes of the past.

After the Apology, you might remember a glass coolamon presented to Prime Minister Rudd and Minister Macklin on behalf of survivors.

The coolamon contained a message that said:

“On behalf of our people, thank you for saying sorry.

In return we give you this gift on behalf of us affected by being taken away from our families.

This is our way of saying thank you.

The gift is a glass coolamon, fragile yet strong.

Coolamons have carried our children.

The gift is a symbol of the hope we place in the new relationship you wish to forge with our people.

A relationship that itself is fragile yet strong.”

Fragile, yet strong.

FORWARD, FOR EVERYONE

So where to from here?

The Apology was an acknowledgement that over decades, governments of different persuasions failed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples –

It was also a commitment to do better in the future.

We still haven’t fulfilled that commitment to do better.

On a range of indicators, gaps still exist.

Now, is the time to embrace the possibility of new ways to address challenges where old approaches haven’t worked.

A future that ensures we have a Voice on the issues that affect us.

Because we know that the solutions to so many of our challenges are found in our communities – at the grassroots level.

A future of truth-telling through Makarrata - where the injustices of the past are fully heard and listened to.

A future where we move Australia forward, for everyone.

Later this year there will be a referendum on constitutional recognition through Voice.

And it is my deepest wish that Australians vote ‘Yes’.

‘Yes’ to an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice.

And ‘Yes’ to a better future for all Australians.

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I want to conclude by recognising the strength and resilience of the members of the Stolen Generations here today. 

A strength and resilience that grows –

Your stories are so important for our nation to hear.

I look forward to listening to you.

To hear your stories of survival and healing.

Thank you.