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The Commission presents Bringing Them Home, its report on the findings of the National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from their Families to the Commonwealth Government.
•The Bringing Them Home report: http://www.humanrights.gov.au/social_justice/bth_report/index.html The parliaments and governments of Victoria, Tasmania, ACT, New South Wales, South Australia and Western Australia all issue statements recognising and publicly apologising to the Sto -
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The Commission releases the Social Justice Report 1998, which includes a summary of responses from the churches, and non-Indigenous community to the Inquiry’s recommendations plus an Implementation Progress Report.
•Social Justice Report 1998: http://www.humanrights.gov.au/social_justice/sj_report/sjreport98/index.html The Commonwealth Government amends the Native Title Act. This restricts the way in which native title can be claimed.
•The Ten Point Plan in response to the Wik decision: http:// -
Indigenous
Federal Parliament passes a motion of ‘deep and sincere regret over the removal of Aboriginal children from their parents’. Mandatory sentencing in Western Australia and the Northern Territory becomes a national issue. Many call for these laws to be overturned because they have greater impact on Indigenous children than on non-Indigenous children.
•Statement from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commissioner on mandatory sentencing -
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The Northern Territory Government repeals its mandatory sentencing laws. The Northern Territory Government presents a parliamentary motion of apology to people who were removed from their families. The Commission & PIAC (Public Interest Advocacy Centre) hold the Moving Forward Conference. The conference aims to explore ways of providing reparations to Indigenous people forcibly removed from their families -
Indigenous
The Social Justice Report 2001 and Native Title Report 2001 are presented to Commonwealth Parliament. Both reports express serious concerns about the nation’s progress in achieving the exercise of Indigenous rights.
•‘Whatever happened to Reconciliation?’ speech by Dr William Jonas at the media conference to launch the Social Justice Report 2001 and the Native Title Report 2001: http://www.humanrights.gov.au/about/media/speeches/social_justice/what_happened_reconciliation.html
•Social Justice Re -
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The Ministerial Council for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs (MCATSIA) commissions and releases an independent evaluation of government and non-government responses to Bringing Them Home. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner publicly criticises the failure of governments to provide fina -
Indigenous
The Commonwealth Government establishes a memorial to the Stolen Generations at Reconciliation Place in Canberra.
•For a description of the text that accompanies the artwork see: http://www.nationalcapital.gov.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=214:reconciliation-place&catid=57:ql-menu-visiting&Itemid=203 461 ‘Sorry Books’ recording the thoughts of Australians on the unfolding history of the Stolen Generations are inscribed on the Australian Memory of the World Register, part of UN -
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The organisation Stolen Generations Victoria is set up as a result of the 2003 report of the Stolen Generations taskforce. Its purpose is to establish a range of support and referral services that will assist Stolen Generation peoples to reconnect with their family, community, culture and land.
•For more details on this organisation see: http://www.stolengenerationsvictoria.org.au The National Sorry Day Committee announces that in 2005, Sorry Day will be a ‘National Day of Healing for All Austr -
Indigenous
The first Stolen Generations compensation scheme in Australia is set up in Tasmania by the Stolen Generations of Aboriginal Children Act 2006 (Tas).
•For the full text of the legislation see: http://www.thelaw.tas.gov.au Redress schemes to provide ex gratia payments to children who have suffered abuse in State Care also emerged in QLD, WA and Tasmania. Some Stolen Generations members received payments for the abuse they suffered under these schemes. -
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The tenth anniversary of the Bringing Them Home report is recognised around Australia with a number of different events, as well as a publication by the Commission, Us Taken-Away Kids.
•For details of the anniversary see http://www.humanrights.gov.au/social_justice/bth_report/index.html 1 August 2007 Mr Bruce Trevorrow became the first member of the Stolen Generations to successfully sue the state for compensation as a result of his removal from his family as a baby. Mr Trevorrow was awarded an -
Indigenous
On 13 February 2008 Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, on behalf of the Australian Parliament, makes a historic national Apology to the Stolen Generations. The Apology acknowledges the past mistreatment of Indigenous peoples and recognises the grief, suffering and loss inflicted on the Stolen Generations. The Apology meets part of the Bringing them Home report’s recommendation for reparations. Sorry -
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On 3 April 2009 the Australian Government formally endorses the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The Declaration recognises the legitimate entitlement of Indigenous peoples to all human rights based on principles of equality and non-discrimination. Article 8 requires governments to prevent and provide remedies for forced assimilation, forced population transfers and dispossession from lands.
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