Healing remains a matter of national responsibility: Apology Anniversary breakfast

Stolen Generations survivors met in the Great Hall of Parliament House, some travelling from the most remote corners of the country, to honour and reflect on the past, and to remind national leaders that the urgent work of truth, healing and justice is far from over. 

The National Apology breakfast on 13 February is a moment for the country to honour Stolen Generations survivors, acknowledge what they experienced and recognise their resilience.

Survivors in their 60s and older were present at the breakfast with the eldest, activist and author Aunty Ruth Hegarty, 97, seated across from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. 

Patricia Thompson AM, CEO of Link-Up (Qld), keynote speaker at the breakfast, said the breakfast was more than just a commemoration – it served as a platform for reflection, education and support, acknowledging the historical injustices that occurred across Australia. 

“Healing remains a matter of national responsibility – today's anniversary is not just a reflection on the past,” she said.  

The Kuku Yalanji, Wakka Wakka woman shared a photo of her grandparents Roy and Princey Jacobs in Cherbourg.

Patricia was removed from her mother shortly after her birth and placed in the baby quarters at Cherbourg Hospital. Thankfully, her mother’s sister stood up to authorities, adopting Patricia and allowing her to remain within the family.

“Such were the policies of the day to remove children from their mothers and to adopt them out to non-Indigenous people – in an attempt to assimilate us, to educate us, give us a better life the records say,” she reflected.  

All eyes on Queensland – the last jurisdiction without redress

Importantly Ms. Thompson pointed to the more than 6,000 survivors living in Queensland – the only remaining jurisdiction in the country yet to establish a redress scheme for Stolen Generations survivors.

“This is particularly troubling given Queensland’s distinct responsibility in this history – around 20 per cent of all Stolen Generations survivors were removed in Queensland,” she said.  

“How many Stolen Generations survivors have died without ever seeing justice, and how many more will pass away before action is finally taken?” 

She reiterated that healing was not just a ‘moment, speech, a report or an anniversary’, and that if governments were serious about change, they must act immediately, following the roadmap already set out for them – referencing the Bringing them home report, tabled almost three decades ago.

Voices carrying strength for meaningful change

Echoing her powerful words, survivors and the organisations that support them, including The Healing Foundation, leveraged this moment to remind leaders of what must be done to ensure survivors were not left behind in the national conversation.

The National Apology Breakfast also featured cultural performances, a Welcome to Country, and reflections from leaders and survivors on truth-telling and healing.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese acknowledged past government polices took from survivors ‘the most profound of rights’, and that together, with survivors, Australia must work toward a better future.

“The Apology was never intended as the end of the story – the new chapter must be an Australia in which Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have the same choices as non-Indigenous Australians,” he said.

The Hon. Justice Louise Taylor reflected on the legacy of the Apology and the responsibility to ensure its promises translate into meaningful change.

The program finished with a video address from former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, reaffirming the enduring significance of the Apology and the need to uphold its promise for every survivor.