Remembering the Stolen Generations and looking towards reconciliation

24 May 2024

National Sorry Day, observed on 26 May each year, commemorates the Stolen Generations. From 1910 to the 1970s, race-based policies of both state and federal governments saw thousands of First Peoples children forcibly removed from their families and communities. Many experienced neglect, physical and sexual abuse, and exploitative labour. This period disrupted connections to culture, Country and community for many families and individuals, and the impacts of this intergenerational trauma continue to be felt today.

The date of National Sorry Day is layered with significance. It marks the day the landmark 1997 report Bringing them home made a series of compelling recommendations to address the impacts of forced removal policies and ongoing trauma experienced by the Stolen Generations. The report also recommended issuing a national apology, reparations and improving services for survivors. Nearly 30 years on, many of the report’s recommendations are yet to be implemented, and First Peoples children continue to be removed from their families at disproportionate rates.

Step forward two decades and 26 May 2017 was the day the Uluru Statement from the Heart was issued at Uluru. This beautifully articulated call to action aspired to constitutional change and structural reform to empower First Peoples and recognise their rights, in the spirit of acknowledgement, respect and a more equitable society.

National Sorry Day leads into National Reconciliation Week, running from 27 May to 3 June. It is a week to learn about First Nations cultures, histories and achievements and reflect upon meaningful action to advance reconciliation between First Peoples and non-Indigenous Australians.

The week is bookended by two significant milestones:

• The start date, 27 May, recognises the successful referendum in 1967, in which almost 91 per cent of Australians voted in favour of changes to the Constitution that would recognise First Peoples as part of the Australian population.
• The end date, 3 June, recognises the High Court Mabo decision in 1992, which inserted the legal doctrine of native title into Australian law. The decision recognised the fact that First Peoples have lived in Australia for many thousands of years and enjoyed rights to their land according to their own laws and customs.

The 2024 theme for National Reconciliation Week – ‘More than ever’ – points to the critical need to continue upholding the human rights of First Peoples in Victoria. At the Commission, we are committed to progressing this work under our Strategic Plan 2024–26. Our priorities for the years ahead include working with policy-makers and organisations to ensure they respect the human rights and self-determination for First Peoples. We are also working to build understanding of Aboriginal cultural rights across the public sector. Within our own organisations, we are continuing to make sure our enquiries and complaints services are as culturally responsive as possible for First Peoples.

We each have a role to play in reconciliation, and together we can collectively build relationships and communities that recognise and celebrate First Peoples histories, cultures, and futures.