What will saying Sorry achieve?
One of the many recommendations of the 1997 Bringing Them Home report was that there be an apology to Indigenous people from the institutions involved in establishing and implementing the laws and policies that sanctioned forced removals of children. These institutions include state and national parliaments, police forces, religious organisations, and other non-government agencies. The recommendation was made in recognition of the fact that saying sorry is an act of compassion, understanding and healing. Acknowledgement and apology are essential first steps to reparation and reconciliation. All state parliaments, the national senate, as well as numerous church organisations and law enforcement bodies have officially expressed sorrow to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people for the policies of forced removal and for their ongoing effects. Only the federal government still refuses to fully acknowledge its role in the suffering brought about by its past practices and refused to pro
