Friday 13 February 2026 marks the 18th anniversary of the 2008 formal apology made by then-Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to First Nations people for the injustices and harm inflicted on the Stolen Generations.
It is estimated that between 1910 and 1970 alone, up to one in 3 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children were forcibly removed from their families by the Government, church missions, or so-called welfare agencies.
The apology claimed:
‘We today take this first step by acknowledging the past and laying claim to a future that embraces all Australians. A future where this Parliament resolves that the injustices of the past must never, never happen again.’
Yet these injustices are still ongoing. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children continue to be taken away from their families, and at far higher rates than non-Indigenous children. Around 20,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are currently in out-of-home care – 11 times higher than the rate of non-Indigenous children.
More than ever, this National Apology Day is an opportunity to reflect on the ongoing impacts of successive government policies on First Nations peoples and communities, the importance of truth-telling, and the strength of the ongoing First Nations fight for self-determination.
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