Ipswich City Council

Sorry Day

In 1995, the Commonwealth Attorney General established a National Enquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children taken from their Families, to be conducted by the human Rights Commission.

The outcome of the enquiry produced the Bringing them Home report. This report acknowledged that 'Indigenous children have been forcibly separated from their families and communities since the very first days of the European occupation of Australia' by governments and missionaries.

These children, known as the "Stolen Generations" were separated from their families and used as guides, servants and farm labour. Continuing into the late 1960's children were removed from their families to be brought up in institutions or fostered out to white families as part of Australia's assimilation policy.

The first National Sorry Day was held on 26 May 1998 - one year after the tabling of the report Bringing them Home, which made 54 recommendations including that a National Sorry Day be held each year on 26 May "to commemorate the history of forcible removals and its effects." As a result of this recommendation the community-based organisation the National Sorry Day Committee was formed and National Sorry day is held annually on 26 May.

Last Updated 21 Oct 2009 |

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