The first National Sorry Day was held exactly one year after the Bringing Them Home report was tabled in Parliament on 26 May 1997. The report was a confronting 689-page landmark document that exposed the truth about the forced removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families, cultures, and communities – what we now know as, The Stolen Generations.
Today, Sorry Day serves as a stark reminder, reinforced by this year’s theme ‘We cannot wait another generation’. More than two decades after the landmark report, the issues facing Stolen Generations survivors and their families are more urgent than ever.
The unfinished business of Bringing Them Home
A recent report by The Healing Foundation, Are you waiting for us to die? The unfinished business of Bringing Them Home, found that just 6% of the recommendations from the 1997 report have been clearly implemented.
This abysmal figure highlights the systemic and ongoing failures in providing justice, accountability, and genuine support to survivors of The Stolen Generations.
28 years to implement 6% of the recommendations from the 1997 Bringing Them Home Report isn’t good enough.
The impact of these failures is still being felt today. According to SNAICC, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are still 10.6 times more likely to be removed from their families than non-Indigenous children. It’s clear that the injustices of the past are far from over.
The Healing Foundation is calling for a National Healing Package – urgent action to ensure that ageing Stolen Generations survivors can live with dignity in their remaining years.
They’re urging all sides of politics, all levels of government, and institutions like police and churches to work together in a coordinated effort to address the ongoing impacts. With a third of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults across the country descended from The Stolen Generations, over half in some areas, the need for support is more pressing than ever.
During May, The Healing Foundation supports local Sorry Day events and shares resources to highlight not only the history behind the day, but the immediate needs that must be urgently addressed.
May 26, 2017 – The Uluru Statement from the Heart
Sorry Day also marks a powerful step forward in the ongoing journey toward justice. On 26 May 2017 – 20 years after the first National Sorry Day – the Uluru Statement from the Heart was delivered at the conclusion of the First Nations National Constitutional Convention.
This historic statement, voiced by council member Megan Davis, was the result of years of collaboration, bringing together over 1,200 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representatives from across the country. The Uluru Statement represents a unified call for constitutional recognition and a First Nations Voice to Parliament, another vital step in empowering communities and building a future grounded in self-determination and justice.
A reminder: there’s work to be done
Sorry Day is not just about remembering the past – it’s a powerful reminder that there is still a lot of work to do. It’s a time to step up, face our history and push for lasting change.
This commitment to education and genuine reconciliation is why our campaign to raise the age of criminal responsibility is so important. When children are removed, traumatised, and then criminalised, we are repeating the very harms the Bringing Them Home report warned us about.
We are failing to protect children from institutional harm and that must change.
Our work here at Amnesty International Australia is about breaking that cycle. It’s about investing in Indigenous-led, community-driven solutions that keep children safe, connected and strong in culture not behind bars.
Thank you for standing with us to make that future possible.
We’re thankful to the organisations and individuals leading this vital work and sharing resources to guide us all on the journey of reconciliation – Reconciliation Australia, The Healing Foundation and The Uluru Dialogue.
Amnesty International is a global movement of more than 10 million people who take injustice personally. We are campaigning for a world where human rights are enjoyed by all – and we can only do it with your support.
Act now or learn more about our Indigenous Justice campaigns.
