Apologies

Government and institutional apologies for past injustices provide an opportunity for the people affected to be heard and know that they are not alone, for the community to acknowledge and seek to understand what happened and for commitments to be made to not repeating those injustices. Annual commemorations of apologies also create opportunities for collective grieving and community building.

Adoption

In response to rigorous lobbying and advocacy by people affected by adoption, several inquiries into adoption policies and practices in Australia have been conducted since the late 1980s leading to an inquiry by the Senate Community Affairs Reference Committee (2012) into past forced adoption policies and practices, released on 29 February 2012, and culminating in the National Apology for Forced Adoptions on 21 March 2013.

Western Australian Apology – Tuesday 19 October 2010

Prior to the release of the Senate Committee Affairs Reference Committee (2012) inquiry into past forced adoption policies and practices, the Parliament of Western Australia formally apologised for the Removal of Children from Unmarried Mothers.

The Premier of Western Australia moved a motion in Parliament on Tuesday 19th October 2010 in relation to past adoption practices and apologised to the mothers, their children and families who were adversely affected by these past adoption practices, and expressed sympathy to those individuals whose interests were not best served by the policy of those times.

Senate Committee Affairs Reference Committee (2012) Report recommends Statements of Apology – 29 February 2012

Of the twenty recommendations made in the Senate Inquiry report (SCARC, 2012), seven were related to issuing statements of apology by governments at the national and state level as well as non-government institutions that administered adoptions. The committee recommended that:

“State and Territory governments and non-government institutions that administered adoptions should issue formal statements of apology that acknowledge practices that were illegal or unethical, as well as other practices that contributed to the harm suffered by many parents whose children were forcible removed and by the children who were separated from their parents.”

Following the release of the Senate Community Affairs Reference Committee (2012) report in February 2012, other states and territories in Australia issued statements of apology, culminating in the National Apology for Forced Adoptions in March 2013.

South Australian Apology – 18 July 2012

South Australia was the second state to issue a statement of apology to those affected by forced adoption. The apology was delivered by then Premier Jay Weatherill, followed by speeches by other parliamentarians.

Australian Capital Territory Apology – 14 August 2012

The Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly acknowledged, that past practices of forced removal and adoption have caused great pain and suffering to mothers and their children, who are now adults and endorsed a formal apology, delivered by Chief Minister Katy Gallagher.

New South Wales Apology – 20 September 2012

The following Apology for Forced Adoption Practices was adopted by both Houses of the Parliament of New South Wales on 20 September 2012:

This House acknowledges the traumatic effects of the forced adoption practices of the past that have echoed through the lives of tens of thousands of mothers, fathers, people adopted as children and their families; and
All Members of this House, with profound sadness and remorse, say to those living with the ongoing grief and pain of forced adoption practices, that we are sorry.

Tasmanian Apology – 18 October 2012

On 18 October 2012 the Premier of Tasmania delivered a formal apology on behalf of the Tasmanian community to mothers and fathers whose children were removed because of past forced adoption practices, and to people who were separated from their parents as infants as a result of those practices.

Victorian Apology – 25 October 2012

The Premier of Victoria issued a formal apology in the Victorian Parliament to the mothers, fathers, sons and daughters who were profoundly harmed by past adoption practices in Victoria.

Queensland Apology – 27 November 2012

On 27 November 2012, the Premier of Queensland made an historic apology for past forced adoption policies and practices in Parliament, on behalf of the Queensland Legislative Assembly.

National Apology for Forced Adoptions – 21 March 2013

As a response to the findings of the Commonwealth Contribution to Former Forced Adoption Practices, on 21 March 2013, the Prime Minister Julia Gillard apologised on behalf of the Australian Government to people affected by forced adoption or removal policies and practices. The national apology was delivered in the Great Hall of Parliament House, Canberra.

The VANISH booklet ‘Commemoration of State and National Apologies for Past and/or Forced Adoption Policies and Practices’ is available on request by emailing info@vanish.org.au

Apologies from Hospitals and Religious Institutions

A number of public bodies such as hospitals and religious institutions throughout Australia have also made public apologies for the wrongs that were perpetrated in the past. In Victoria, these include:

Monash Health Apology - 20 March 2013

Shelley Park, CEO, of Monash Health, Melbourne (on behalf of maternity hospitals now closed/merged such as the Queen Victoria Memorial Hospital, Prince Henry’s Hospital, Moorabbin Hospital)

“acknowledged that many past adoption practices, particularly when considered against today’s standards, were clearly misguided; often based on societal attitudes and pressures rather than the best interests of mother and child” and apologised “to every woman who felt she had no choice but to give up her baby”.

Royal Women's Hospital Apology - 23 January 2012

Dale Fisher, CEO, Royal Women’s Hospital, Melbourne apologised to mothers impacted by forced separation and adoption and acknowledged

“past adoption practices caused lasting consequences for many relinquishing mothers, and sometimes also for their children and their extended families.

Uniting Church Apology - February 2012

Isabel Thomas Dobson, Moderator Victorian and Tasmanian synod of the Uniting Church (united sections of the former Presbyterian, Congregational and Methodist Churches) –

“On behalf of the Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of Victoria and Tasmania and our agencies, we apologise unreservedly for any physical, psychological or social harm that might have occurred through the past adoption practices and processes of the church”.

Catholic Health Australia Apology - 25 July 2011

Martin Laverty, CEO Catholic Health Australia issued a National Apology over past adoption practices that have been described as a

“national disgrace”.

CatholicCare Victoria Apology

CatholicCare Victoria has apologised for the role of the Catholic Social Services Bureau (later operating as the Catholic Family Welfare Bureau) in actively promoting the adoption of the babies of young, unwed mothers between the 1940s and 1980s.

“To all those who were hurt as a result of these past actions: we acknowledge your pain, and we say sorry.“

Berry Street Apology - 21 March 2013

Berry Street has acknowledged and apologised unreservedly for any pain, trauma, unresolved grief or suffering experienced by mothers, children, fathers, adoptive parents and families as a result of any past adoption practices of the Berry Street Foundling Hospital and Infants’ Home.

“We recognise the harm and damage forced adoption has caused to the mothers, children, fathers, adoptive and extended families. We acknowledge the truth – that many young women were not supported to freely decide what was in their child’s best interests.“

Anglicare Apology

Anglicare Victoria unreservedly apologised for the historical adoption practices of its predecessor agencies, that separated mothers from their babies, and children from their families.

“We acknowledge the pain of separation and the loss felt by them at the time and in subsequent years. And to those who were adopted or removed, and where you were raised in a culture that was not your own, Anglicare Victoria offers you an apology.“

Care Leavers, Forgotten Australians and Former Child Migrants

The Australian Government formally apologised to the Forgotten Australians and Former Child Migrants at a special remembrance event in Canberra on 16 November 2009. The apology was an endorsement of Recommendation 1 from the ‘Forgotten Australians’ report of the Inquiry into Children in Institutional Care. See the full report here.

The Victorian Government has also issued a formal apology to Victorians who experienced historical abuse and neglect as children in instutional care. This apology was made on 8 February 2024 in the Victorian Parliament and was shown at a regional live stream events in Geelong, Sale and Ballarat. You can read this apology or watch the recording here.

The Stolen Generations

The Stolen Generations are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who were taken away from their families and communities as children as the result of past government policies. Thousands of children were forcibly removed by governments, churches and welfare bodies to be raised in institutions, fostered out or adopted by non-Indigenous families, nationally and internationally.The removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children took place from the early days of British colonisation in Australia. It broke important cultural, spiritual and family ties and has left a lasting and intergenerational impact on the lives and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

On 17 September 1997, then Premier Jeff Kennett issued an apology in the Legislative Assembly to the Aboriginal people for the past policies leading to the removal of Aboriginal children from their families and communities.

On 13 February 2008, the Australian Government made an Apology to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, delivered by then Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. The apology came about as a recommendation from The National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal Children from their Families.

The Yoorrook Justice Commission is the first formal truth-telling process into historical and ongoing injustices experienced by First Peoples in Victoria. Yoorrook delivered an interim report in June 2022, a critical issues report in August 2023, and will deliver a final report in 2025.

Victims and Survivors of Institutional Child Sexual Abuse

On Monday 22 October 2018, then Prime Minister of Australia, the Hon Scott Morrison MP, delivered a national apology to Victims and Survivors of Institutional Child Sexual Abuse in the House of Representatives. The apology followed the final report of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse which was delivered to the Australian Government on 15 December 2017.