Survivors call for urgent move from Sorry to Action at Parliament House on National Sorry Day

When Stolen Generations survivors Aunty Lorraine Peeters and Uncle David Wragge addressed politicians and change makers in Canberra today, for National Sorry Day, they said that they were tired of not seeing real action and progress in the 29 years since the Bringing them home report was released.
Aunty Lorraine reflected on the Inquiry and the report, released in 1997, when she was so full of hope.

“Now everybody is flat. What happens now?”

“We still have this trauma we carry on through the generations. If we don';t heal we pass this down through the generations.”

“I’m getting very tired and I would love to see some action,” she said.

Uncle David, who spent six years in the dormitory in Cherbourg, Queensland, said it took him 40 years to get up the strength to walk through the doors of the dormitory again.  

“Many men never came back. Many died young.”

He added that as a nation we should be mature enough now to go forward together, and acknowledge our true history in the education curriculum across Australia. 

Both shared their experiences of forced removal with The Healing Foundation CEO Shannan Dodson, who guided a conversation to help those in the room truly feel the ongoing impacts of these past policies.

The panel discussion, in front of a packed room at Parliament House, supported the action plan launch – From Sorry to Action: A plan to act on Bringing them home (2026-2028).

The Healing Foundation CEO Shannan Dodson said at the launch, that governments in this country took our babies and our children from their families, their communities, their culture and their Country.

“They did this over generations. That they did it on purpose. This is not ancient history,” she said.”

“The people who lived through those policies are our aunties, our uncles, our parents, our grandparents, our cousins. They are sitting beside you. They are walking the corridors of this building. They remember what happened like it was yesterday.”

Aunty Lorraine said she continues to live in hope that something wlll be done.

“We need action, we’re tired of talk,” she said.

Uncle David added that our leadership and our people are heading in the right direction, we just need government to join us on our journey.

The Healing Foundation acknowledges Minister Marion Scrymgour, the Minister for Lingiari, who spoke at the event about her parents removal under past policies which aimed to breed out colour. She said she looks forward to supporting the measures proposed by The Healing Foundation in the action plan.

We acknowledge Shadow Minister for Indigenous Australians Julian Leeser, who also spoke at the action plan launch event.

Download the action plan today and learn more about urgent priority actions needed for Stolen Generations survivors. 

Related articles 
From Sorry to Action Plan

Sorry Day statement 

National Sorry Day