18th Anniversary of the National Apology: Urgent Action Needed for Survivors

Friday 13 February 2026 marks 18 years since the National Apology to the Stolen Generations.

The Apology provided vital recognition of the ongoing harm inflicted on the Stolen Generations – babies and children taken from their families and communities. 

However, this symbolic moment was always intended to sit within bigger, lasting changes to the lives of Stolen Generations survivors and their families. 

Now, 18 years on, survivors continue to face major barriers to justice, healing and care. 

Time is running out to address these critical issues: survivors are ageing; many of those still with us are in their 70s, 80s and 90s. 

Read on to learn more about what survivors need now, how you can stand with survivors, and find Apology anniversary events near you. 

The time for change is now

Almost three decades since the Bringing them home report’s comprehensive recommendations to improve the lives of survivors and their families, progress remains slow and uneven.

Without immediate action, survivors risk being failed once again.

In 2025, the Closing the Gap Independent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander–led Review reported that the experiences and outcomes of survivors have too often remained invisible within government systems. 

National leadership and accountability are needed to drive the change needed.

Key priorities

Stolen Generations survivors urgently require trauma‑informed and affordable aged care, equitable redress, and access to the records that hold their stories. Sustained funding for survivor-led organisations is also crucial to support ageing survivors.