Beyond the Apology: moving from good intentions to sustained, strategic action

By Dr Lisa J. Griffiths, Chief Executive Officer, OzChild

Each year, the anniversary of the National Apology gives us an opportunity to reflect on one of the most powerful moments in Australia’s modern history. On 13 February 2008, the nation formally acknowledged the profound harm caused by policies that forcibly removed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families – the Stolen Generations. For many survivors and families, the Apology marked an essential step toward healing, recognition and dignity after decades of denial and silence.

The Apology mattered. It marked the start of truth-telling, acknowledged wrongdoing and the immense suffering that was caused. It recognised the resilience of First Nations peoples and the enduring impact of child removal across generations. This moment gave the nation an invitation to begin walking a different path, alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

As we mark the 18^th anniversary of the National Apology, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are still waiting for the action that must follow words. Seventeen years on, too many children continue to experience the same injustices, reminding us that apology without sustained, community-led action changes little.

The figures presented in the latest Family Matters report demand our attention. As does the clear roadmap SNAICC presents for change. Its message is consistent and evidence‑based: systems that prioritise crisis response and removal over early intervention and family support will continue to fail children. Despite decades of commitments, only around 15 per cent of child protection funding goes to prevention and early support, and just six per cent is directed to Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations – the services best placed to keep children safe and connected to family, culture and Country. 

OzChild stands alongside SNAICC and our Allies for Children colleagues in calling for a decisive shift in funding toward early intervention, prevention and Aboriginal‑led solutions. We know what works: culturally safe supports that strengthen families, address drivers of intervention such as poverty and housing insecurity, and keep children connected to kin and community. 

Honouring the National Apology means more than remembering history. It means learning from it. It means having the courage to stop systems that aren’t working and investing in those that do.

We cannot continue to repeat the mistakes of the past under different names.