On the 18th anniversary of the historic National Apology to the Stolen Generations by then Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, ageing survivors of forced removal policies continue to bear the weight of the legacy of their experiences with limited support for redress, healing and ongoing care.
Reconciliation Australia supports the call from Stolen Generations advocacy body, The Healing Foundation, for trauma informed and affordable aged care, equitable redress, access to records, sustained funding for survivor-led organisations, and national accountability to enable remaining elderly survivors to live out their days with dignity.
The National Apology was considered by many to be a game changer in the relationship between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other Australians, with a groundswell of support and empathy for the Stolen Generations survivors.
Mr Rudd’s words in February 2008 prompted expectation and optimism in the community that survivors would be recognised and assisted in their recovery from the trauma they had experienced.
But that optimism has been faded with limited implementation of the comprehensive list of recommendations within the (then) Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission’s Bringing Them Home report, a landmark act of national truth-telling.
Reconciliation Australia considers truth-telling a fundamental pillar of reconciliation but it must be action-oriented and responsive to the needs of the communities impacted.
The Coming to terms with the past? report by Reconciliation Australia and the University of New South Wales found that to be meaningful, truth-telling must achieve change, whether at a structural, institutional, or personal level.
Reconciliation Australia’s Community Truth-Telling Pathways program supports communities to undertake truth-telling, and the role of community truth-telling in creating an environment for change and action.
