A Decade of Healing: Professor Steve Larkin Reflects on Ten Years as The Healing Foundation Board Chair

Farewell from Professor Steve Larkin  

After 10 years as Chair of The Healing Foundation’s Board and 10, I have many people to thank. Past and current members of the Board, the CEOs that I worked with, senior directors and all the staff who have been part of our collective work. And of course the Stolen Generations survivors, descendants, and organisations, and members of the Stolen Generations Reference Group and the Youth Reference Group, whose contributions are core to the work. 

These years with The Healing Foundation have been deeply rewarding, to be working with people whose commitment, passion and belief in the rights and needs of the Stolen Generations survivors could never be doubted. 

In my role as Chair, particularly, I appreciated the peer support and collegiality of all involved, and how we were able to apply Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing and doing to our work. That included how we chose members of the Board — not so much specific individuals or backgrounds, but the characteristics, values, approaches and attributes we needed.  

I think that’s worked for us really well and particularly when there are different opinions: they were always conveyed and received with respect, seeking to work by a consensus, which came naturally because of our collective ways. Different ideas were never rejected out of hand. And while we may have had differences of views about what we needed to do, it was never around the why. 

This level of collegiality and camaraderie has to be a goal, and a value. You can’t take it for granted. You have to work on it, and we all did. 

As a long-standing Chair, I know well that you don’t do these things on your own. You make a contribution where you can and where it’s fitting, but it’s all about the community involved. 

So, whilst I’m sad to say goodbye, I am proud that I am saying farewell to a well-governed, well-administered, well-run organisation. We have managed our finances, structures and resources well, making them stretch as best we can. We always try to avoid having to say no and look for ways to help and support beyond our remit. 

But the way we really measure our success is that Stolen Generations survivors, descendants and organisations want to work with us. I am grateful and pleased that they respect The Healing Foundation for both its leadership and the way it works, that our Reference Groups see our work as important and that it upholds their priorities. 

I’m proud too that we identify and regard ourselves as a specialist sector — working on that was a key message to emerge from The Gathering 2024 in Garramilla/Darwin, which was an amazing event. As a sector, we are the best people to speak; we’ve got the lived experience, and we are the subject matter experts. 

Of course, there is disappointment though too in reflecting on our work to date. Governments still resist acting strategically and honestly on our asks. And the ground so often shifts under our feet when it comes to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander affairs. It’s a volatile, challenging environment all the time, and negotiating that is one thing that our community has become good at. I’m not saying it’s without pain, but we have learnt how to be agile. 

The Healing Foundation has won ongoing respect from governments. A small and relatively new organisation — which has grown from just eight staff when I joined the Board to its current 31 — has gained national recognition and respect.  

The evidence we have developed, and that which we helped drive from the Australian Bureau of Statistics and the Australian Institute for Health and Welfare, has gradually influenced policies and programs.  

I remember trying to persuade former Howard Government Minister Nigel Scullion in 2018 to respond to the issues we were raising for the Stolen Generations.  

He asked: ‘how many people are we talking to? And where do they live?’ They had no idea. Now they do. 

I’m struck also, looking back, that few people were talking about intergenerational trauma when our work began, much less understanding it and recognising what it meant particularly in Australia for the Stolen Generations and their communities. There were some very ignorant, often racist reactions to that impact. That remains in some ugly quarters, but together we have taught people to think differently about what has to be done in response to intergenerational trauma and how it should be done.

My concern, as I leave The Healing Foundation, is that societal times may have changed irreparably now in terms of social justice across Australia (and more widely). That’s for a range of reasons, including the advent of social media and the devastating result of the Voice referendum which has been taken by many politicians and people in the community as an excuse now for inaction or, worse, the winding back of important gains. 

There is less impact now in delivering evidence-based policies: they are more contested and less likely to spark broad community interest and support, less likely to galvanise allies and allied organisations. That may require a change in approach for all of us in advocacy.

But that will of course be up to The Healing Foundation Board, executive and team, in collaboration with the Reference Groups, and Stolen Generations survivors, descendants and organisations.

And the leadership team is now in an incredibly strong position, as I proudly announce that Deputy CEO Leonie Williamson has been appointed CEO.  

Leonie is well prepared to lead after several years as Deputy CEO, and the last three months as Acting CEO. She’s spent countless hours working with survivors and representatives from Stolen Generations Organisations, gaining their trust and respect. She has also created strong networks with leaders in governments, organisations and institutions who have accountability to survivors.  

I know she, and all working in this space with The Healing Foundation will be well up to the challenge and responsibility and wish them all the best for the future.

Thank you for the opportunity to be involved with The Healing Foundation.

Steve Larkin.