It is now five years since the historic National Apology to the Stolen Generations by the Australian government. When it happened the Stolen Generations (of which my mother was a member), their families, friends and supporters wept. It was a moment we never thought would happen. I felt I finally mattered, and that it mattered what happened to my family and community. We needed to hear that Apology.
We never expected the Apology would resolve all the ills of colonial takeover and oppression, nor the intergenerational grief and pain that impacts present day Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. But the words of the Apology gave a sense of expectation that greater justices, and the implementation of the full recommendations of the Bringing Them Home report, are still possible for Stolen Generations.
Yet the grief and sadness remain despite the best intentions of the government at the time. The government refuses to offer compensation and reparations as per the recommendations of Bringing Them Home. The suspension of the Racial Discrimination Act, the Intervention and income management policies add further pressure on our community and push the ongoing issues of the Stolen Generations further down the line.
Fortunately there are small groups quietly advocating for full justice for the Stolen Generations. Generally, these are the same groups that drove the people's movement towards the Apology. These groups are choosing practical ways to seek justice. This includes the push for Stolen Generations history to be taught in all Australian schools, and the pursuit of memorials as culturally appropriate places to remember and pay respect.
The government built the national reconciliation memorial, with a significant tribute to Stolen Generations. The river of tears at the memorial site is fitting: the grief and trauma of Stolen Generations, their families and their communities, is present and very real. The memorial was a first step which moved beyond the denial in Australian history that anything wrong or evil ever happened to Aboriginal people.
The Australian government should also consider a national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander memorial day, to validate the pain and suffering of Stolen Generations and recognise the historical crimes of massacres, black wars, genocide and gross violation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander human rights. It already funds the Healing Foundation for retributive programs.
The Apology itself suggests the possibility of healing for Stolen Generations and other Australians with saddened hearts. Stolen Generations and their families and many other