Two decades on, Stolen Generation report recommendations remain unfulfilled

NIT Published February 12, 2022 at 11.14am (AWST)

stolen generations

A peak Indigenous youth advocacy body has called on Australian governments to double down on child protection reform amid accusations they have failed to meet many of a landmark report's key recommendations.

Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care on Saturday used the 14th anniversary of the national apology to Indigenous people made by former prime minister Kevin Rudd in February 2008 to the Stolen Generations.

This year also marks the 25th anniversary of the Bringing Them Home report into the trauma and injustice suffered by the Stolen Generations.

"We need ambitious government investment to match our ambitious commitments" - Muriel Bamblett

SNAICC chairperson Muriel Bamblett said the body was still bogged down negotiating government action on most of the report's core recommendations.

"The Australian Government's commitment to the promises delivered in the Apology must be fulfilled through meaningful investment in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and services" she said.

"Today we call on all state and territory governments to review the 54 recommendations within the report and make their progress against those recommendations public."

Ms Bamblett's comments come after a 2021 report found Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children were 10 times more likely than non-Indigenous children to be in out-of-home care.

Productivity Commission data in January found at June 30, 2021, more than 22,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children were living away from their parents.

"If we are to turn the tide on these figures, we need ambitious government investment to match our ambitious commitments," Ms Bamblett said.

"Governments are working with us under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap to design actions that can make a difference for our children, however funding allocations for prevention activities must increase to achieve the Agreement's targets."

Ms Bamblett said a significantly boosted Aboriginal community-controlled family services sector was needed to strengthen families.