Govt delivers national apology to Forgotten Australians
By Susanna DunkerleyMon Nov 16 14:03:00 EST 2009
Mon Nov 16 03:03:00 UTC 2009
FED: Govt delivers national apology to Forgotten Australians
CANBERRA, Nov 16 AAP - There was hardly a dry eye in the Great Hall of Parliament House on Monday as Prime Minister Kevin Rudd apologised to the Forgotten Australians, recalling the "ugly chapter" of the nation's history.
It was standing room only as Mr Rudd made the national apology to the estimated 500,000 children placed in orphanages and foster homes up until the late 1970s.
"We come together today to deal with an ugly chapter in our nation's history," he told the crowd of about 1,000 people, including many survivors and their families.
He acknowledged the physical suffering, emotional starvation and sexual abuse many experienced inside the state and church run institutions.
"Sorry for the tragedy, the absolute tragedy of childhoods lost," he said.
"We look back in shame at how those with power were allowed to abuse those who had none."
Mr Rudd apologised to the 10,000 child migrants shipped over from Britain after World War II, on the false belief that they were orphans.
"Robbed of your families, robbed of your homeland, regarded not as innocent children but regarded instead as a source of child labour.
"We acknowledge today that the laws of our nation failed you, and for this we are deeply sorry."
He also remembered those who had not been able to cope and took their own lives.
Former Australian Democrats senator Andrew Murray, a Forgotten Australian, who fearlessly campaigned on the issue in parliament was given special mention.
"Unless we are now transparent about what had been done in our nation's name our apology can never be complete," Mr Rudd said.
"The Senate named you the Forgotten Australians, today and from this day forward it is my hope that you will be called the Remembered Australians."
Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull, choked with emotion, retold the stories of just some of the "abandoned and betrayed" Forgotten Australians.
"Many of you were abandoned and left without love, many of you were beaten and abused, physically, sexually, mentally treated like objects not people," he said.
"Today we want you to know, we admire you, we believe you, we love you."
Both leaders were given standing ovations from the crowd, that both cheered and wept throughout the speeches.
The federal government has ruled out compensation, but says survivors will be given special aged care recognition and support.
Mr Rudd also urged them to assist the National Library of Australia to collect stories for an oral history record.
