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Acknowledgement of Country

The Healing Foundation acknowledges Country, Custodians and Community of the lands on which we live and work. We also pay our respects to Elders and to Stolen Generations survivors, of the Dreaming and of the here and now. We recognise the ongoing nature of trauma experiences for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and commit each day to survivor-led intergenerational healing.

Warning: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this website may contain images, voices and names of people who have passed away.

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National Sorry Day

National Sorry Day commemorates the landmark Bringing them home report and acknowledges the forced removal of the Stolen Generations. 

What is National Sorry Day? 

Each year, 26 May marks National Sorry Day, acknowledging the Stolen Generations — Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children forcibly removed from their families between the mid-1800s and 1980s — and the tabling of the Bringing them home in 1997.

National Sorry Day in 2025 marked the 28th anniversary of the report.

2025 National Sorry Day theme and calls for action 

The 2025 theme, We cannot wait another generation, highlighted the urgency of acting on the many outstanding priority recommendations of the Bringing them home report. 

The 2025 report released by The Healing Foundation – Are you waiting for us to die? The unfinished business of Bringing them home – found only 6% of the report recommendations have been clearly implemented. 

It urges a comprehensive and coordinated response from all sides of politics, all levels of government, police, churches and others with responsibilities to support the Stolen Generations. 

Outstanding issues include:

  • Most survivors are eligible for aged care but are faced with an aged care system which often re-triggers the trauma of institutionalisation.
  • Queensland is yet to introduce a redress scheme, and other state and territory schemes are flawed.
  • Many survivors and families still don’t have access to their records. 
  • Stolen Generations organisations that support survivors on the ground are often either volunteer-run or receive project funding only, which doesn’t allow for the workforce and organisational investment needed to build and retain organisations, staff and expertise. 

The Healing Foundation is calling for a National Healing Package to drive urgent action to enable remaining ageing survivors to live out their days with dignity.   

Watch the insightful webinar recording


Watch and listen to Stolen Generations survivors Ian Hamm (Yorta Yorta) and Aunty Yvonne Mills (Kokatha/Mirning) as they share with The Healing Foundation CEO Shannan Dodson (Yawuru) their experiences, insights and reflections on why we cannot wait another generation to act.

Ian and Yvonne are members of The Healing Foundation’s Stolen Generations Reference Group.

Watch now

Download/watch further National Sorry Day resources: 

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© 2025 The Healing Foundation. All rights reserved.

Acknowledgement of Country

The Healing Foundation acknowledges Country, Custodians and Community of the lands on which we live and work. We also pay our respects to Elders and to Stolen Generations survivors, of the Dreaming and of the here and now. We recognise the ongoing nature of trauma experiences for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and commit each day to survivor-led intergenerational healing.