Taking the Next Steps

The Stolen Generations Alliance knows that the Australian community led the call for an Apology to Stolen Generations survivors – by walking across bridges, by documenting and listening to Stolen Generations survivor’s stories, by working with organisations at a local level to support Stolen Generations survivors and their families, by writing letters to the papers, by interrogating the accepted history which suggested that the removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children was for ‘their own good’ and exposing this as a justification for policies of race based removals.

While many recognised the national Apology made by the Prime Minster Kevin Rudd as the ‘First Step’ there are many who know there were many steps before February 13^th 2008. Establishing the first Link Up service in NSW in 1980 to reunite those removed with their families was a very important first step. The Going Home conference held in Darwin in 1994 which saw Stolen Generations survivors around the country come together for the first time was another important first step. This conference prompted the Federal Government of the time to establish the Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Children from their Families. This was another significant first step which produced the Bringing Them Home Report. There are many other steps we could mention and are still documenting.

It is important to acknowledge all these steps which we believe supported the call for, and the long awaited delivery of, the national Apology to Stolen Generations survivors. The national Apology was symbolically a giant leap for Australia for while many were not aware of the steps which led to it, the Apology ensured that all Australians and many others around the world became aware of this part of our history.

The Stolen Generations Alliance believes it may be some time before the next ‘giant leap’ as a nation can occur. The SGA believes that many smaller steps will need to be taken first. The Stolen Generations Alliance is calling on all Australians to help us take these next steps. The SGA is currently developing comprehensive community initiatives to take these steps and is seeking community input and feedback on ways these steps are already being taken. We urge all Australian, whether as individuals, groups or organisations to assist us in shaping the way forward. The Anniversary of the Apology offers us a chance to start this discussion across the country