On National Sorry Day, we honour the strength, truth and lived experiences of Stolen Generations survivors and their families.
A generation after the 1997 Bringing Them Home report was delivered only five of its 83 recommendations to address the harm caused under these past government policies have been fully implemented.
Many survivors who shared their stories are no longer with us. For those who remain, time is running out to deliver justice within their lifetimes.
Reconciliation Australia stands with The Healing Foundation in amplifying this year’s clear call: From Sorry to Action and plan to act on Bringing them home (2026-2028).
Saying sorry matters. It acknowledges truth and signals compassion.
But sorry without action is not enough.
Sorry Day is a reminder for all Australians to acknowledge the truth of how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children were forcibly removed from their families, communities and Country, and the enduring, intergenerational impacts that continue today.
Real change demands leadership, accountability and urgency.
It means acting now to meet the outstanding needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Stolen Generations survivors and their families.
It means delivering on the commitments made nearly three decades ago, and it means recognising that we cannot close the gap without addressing the ongoing impacts of removal, trauma and disconnection that continue to shape health, wellbeing and life outcomes today.
This is part of the unfinished business of reconciliation.
The Healing Foundation’s advocacy makes this responsibility clear. We owe it to the survivors who are still with us, and to the families of those we have lost, to make swift, meaningful change.
Listening to and acknowledging the full history of the Stolen Generations is essential to building understanding, respect and lasting change and turning sorry into action.
