National Sorry Day

Today is National Sorry Day, and in communities across the country, Australians are reflecting on the grief and trauma experienced by members of the Stolen Generations and committing to an ongoing journey of healing.

The Australian Government recognises that for members of the Stolen Generations, healing is a continuing process that requires ongoing support and understanding.

National Sorry Day is held on 26 May each year, the anniversary of the tabling of the Bringing Them Home Report in Parliament.

In 2008, the Australian Government delivered the National Apology, an important step in building trust and re-setting Indigenous and non-Indigenous relations.

It was acknowledged then that words alone were not enough.

Through the Stolen Generations Working Partnership to the Government is working with stolen generations organisations to help address the immediate and practical needs of the Stolen Generations.

Together with members of the Stolen Generations and organisations representing these members, we are working to make sure their voices are heard in the design of policies and programs that affect them. The Government recognises the important and selfless work done by Stolen Generations organisations.

The Australian Government is delivering $26.6 million over four years for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Healing Foundation to support community-based healing initiatives that address the traumatic legacy of colonisation, forced removals and other past government policies.

In the 2011-12 Budget the Government also delivered $54.4 million over five years to support counselling, family tracing and reunion services for members of the Stolen Generations under the Bringing Them Home and Link Up programs.

The Government has also supported the Stolen Generations Testimonies Foundation, which currently has 31 oral history testimonies from members of the Stolen Generations on their website.

This builds on the National Library of Australia’s Bringing Them Home oral history project, which has an online collection of more than 190 oral history interviews with people who were involved in or affected by the removal of Indigenous children from their families.

The Stolen Generations Testimonies Foundation oral history testimonies can be found at http://stolengenerationstestimonies.com/index.php/testimonies/index.1.html and the National Library oral history project, Bringing them Home, can be found at www.nla.gov.au/digicoll/bringing-them-home-online.html