Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has reaffirmed his commitment to reconciliation, marking the 17th anniversary of the National Apology to the Stolen Generations with a powerful speech at the annual breakfast in Canberra.
Albanese acknowledged the significance of the event, expressing deep respect for the survivors in attendance. “You found within yourselves the strength to turn your suffering into a chance for a better Australia,” he said.
“And make no mistake, when that apology was made, you not only provided a moment of healing for yourselves, you created a better Australia.”
Reflecting on the historic day in 2008, Albanese recalled the moment when then-Prime Minister Kevin Rudd delivered the long-overdue apology. “The nation stopped. There was a sigh you could physically feel,” he said, describing how Australians across workplaces, schools, and Parliament House watched as the words “sorry” were finally spoken.
Albanese paid tribute to Rudd’s leadership, calling it an “act of grace” and a defining moment of his government. He also recognised the courage of opposition leader Brendan Nelson, who stood in bipartisan support, resisting pressure from within his own party.
The Prime Minister placed the Apology in the broader context of Australia’s ongoing struggle for Indigenous justice, drawing parallels to the Freedom Ride of 1965. “Sixty years ago, Charles Perkins and the Freedom Riders lifted the veil on discrimination,” he said.
“They sparked a national reckoning, just as the Apology did 17 years ago.”
Despite these milestones, Albanese acknowledged that challenges remain. “The Apology was never intended as the end of the story, but the beginning of a new chapter,” he said.
“An Australia in which Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have the same choices as non-Indigenous Australians.”
He announced an extension of the Territories Stolen Generations Redress Scheme to June 2028, ensuring more survivors can access support. He also thanked the Healing Foundation and Stolen Generations organisations for their ongoing work in assisting those affected.
Concluding his speech, Albanese reiterated his commitment to remembrance and action.
“For every year that I am Prime Minister, I will attend this breakfast. Because this moment in history must be turned into practical reform, making a real difference.”
Between 1910 and 1970, Australian governments, churches, and welfare bodies forcibly removed between one in three and one in ten Indigenous children from their families, creating the Stolen Generations. These removals, sanctioned by government policies, have left a lasting legacy of trauma and loss that continues to affect First Nations communities today.
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