Plaque :
Stolen Generation Apology
Plaque :
They took the children away, Our souls will cry no more, For now we are going home
In the years 1900-1971, as a matter of government policy, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children were forcibly removed from their families and cultures by representatives of the State with the support of the wider community including Christian churches. Some members of these Stolen Generations were placed in state or church institutions , others were fostered or adopted by white Australians.
On this site in 1998, a ceremony was held at which the people of Brisbane, civic, church and community leaders acknowledged the hurt and sorrow caused to these children and their families, sought their forgiveness, and pledged themselves to the process of reconciliation and cultural understanding.
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Bringing Them Home Plaques recognise those who were victims of the "Stolen Generation". One plaque contains the text of apology issued by Kevin Rudd on the 13th February 2008.
Bringing Them Home is the title of the Australian Report of the National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from Their Families. The report marked a pivotal moment in the controversy that has come to be known as the Stolen Generations.
The inquiry was established by the Federal Attorney-General, Michael Lavarach, on 11 May 1995, in response to efforts made by key Indigenous agencies and communities concerned that the general public's ignorance of the history of forcible removal was hindering the recognition of the needs of its victims and their families and the provision of services. The 680-page report was tabled in Federal Parliament on 26 May 1997.
On Thursday 26 August 1999 the Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, moved a Motion of Reconciliation, which included an expression of "deep and sincere regret that indigenous Australians suffered injustices under the practices of past generations, and for the hurt and trauma that many indigenous people continue to feel as a consequence of those practices". The opposition leader Kim Beazley moved to replace Howard's motion of regret with an unreserved apology, but was unsuccessful.
On 11 December 2007, the newly elected government of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced that an official apology would be made to Indigenous Australians. The wording of the apology would be decided in consultation with Indigenous leaders. On 13 February 2008, at 9:00am (AEDT), Rudd tabled the following apology as the first order of business at the opening of Australia's Parliament in 2008; it was passed unanimously by the members of the lower house.
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