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Stolen Generations MemorialPrint Page 
The memorial commemorates all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children who were forcibly removed from their families. These children are known as the Stolen Generations. The memorial incorporates the original Bringing Them Home plaque as well as the text of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's national apology to Indigenous Australians in 2008.
The Stolen Generations (also known as Stolen children) is a term used to describe the children of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent who were removed from their families by the Australian Federal and State government agencies and church missions, under acts of their respective parliaments. The removals occurred in the period between approximately 1869 and 1969, although in some places children were still being taken in the 1970s.
Note : Bringing Them Home is the title of the Australian Report of the National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from Their Families. The report marked a pivotal moment in the controversy that has come to be known as the Stolen Generations. The inquiry was established by the Federal Attorney-General, Michael Lavarch, on 11 May 1995, in response to efforts made by key Indigenous agencies and communities concerned that the general public's ignorance of the history of forcible removal was hindering the recognition of the needs of its victims and their families and the provision of services. The 680 page report was tabled in Federal Parliament on 26 May 1997.
Location
| Address: | Adelaide Street, King George Square, Brisbane, 4000 |
|---|---|
| State: | QLD |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -27.468685 Long: 153.023904 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Monument |
|---|---|
| Monument Theme: | Culture |
| Sub-Theme: | Indigenous |
Dedication
| Approx. Monument Dedication Date: | 1998 |
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Plaque :
(Stolen Generation apology)
Plaque :
They took the children away, Our souls will cry no more,
For now we are going home
In the years 1900-1971, as a matter of government policy, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children were forcibly removed from their families and cultures by representatives of the State with the support of the wider community including Christian churches. Some members of these Stolen Generations were placed in state or church institutions , others were fostered or adopted by white Australians.
On this site in 1998, a ceremony was held at which the people of Brisbane, civic, church and community leaders acknowledged the hurt and sorrow caused to these children and their families, sought thir forgiveness, and pledged themselves to the process of reconciliation and cultural understanding.
