Our Community

We offer this apology in the hope that it will assist your healing and in order to shine a light on a dark period of our nation's history. To those who have fought for the truth to be heard, we hear you now. We acknowledge that many of you have suffered in silence for far too long. We are saddened that many others are no longer here to share this moment. In particular, we remember those affected by these practices who took their own lives. Our profound sympathies go to their families. To redress the shameful mistakes of the past, we are committed to ensuring that all those affected get the help they need, including access to specialist counselling services and support, the ability to find the truth in freely available records and assistance in reconnecting with lost family. We resolve, as a nation, to do all in our power to make sure these practices are never repeated. In facing future challenges, we will remember the lessons of family separation. Our focus will be on protecting the fundamental rights of children and on the importance of the child's right to know and be cared for by his or her parents. With profound sadness and remorse, we offer you all our unreserved apology. This Apology is extended in good faith and deep humility. It will be a profound act of moral insight by a nation searching its conscience. It will stand in the name of all Australians as a sign of our willingness to right an old wrong and face a hard truth. As Australians, we are used to celebrating past glories and triumphs, and so we should. We are a great nation. But we must also be a good nation. Therefore we must face the negative features of our past without hesitation or reserve. That is why the period since 2008 has been so distinctive - because it has been a moment of healing and accountability in the life of our nation. For a country, just as for a person, it takes a lot of courage to say we are sorry. We don't like to admit we were mistaken or misguided. Yet this is part of the process of a nation growing up: Holding the mirror to ourselves and our past, and not flinching from what we see. What we see in that mirror is deeply shameful and distressing.