ACT to apologise for forced adoptions

By Noel Towell
Chief Assembly Reporter (Canberra Times) 28/10/2010

The ACT will formally apologise to women whose children were taken from them in forced adoptions between the 1940s and the 1980s.
The Legislative Assembly voted yesterday for a Greens proposal to formally apologise to the women, mostly unmarried mothers, who were forcibly separated from their babies soon after birth.
The motion, put forward by Greens leader Meredith Hunter, also called for a national inquiry into the extent of forced adoptions in Australia.
An emotional Ms Hunter told the chamber that between the 1940s and 1980s, children were forcibly removed from young mothers across Australia.
The Greens leader said it was time the territory followed the number of hospitals around the nation and one state government that had apologised to women and children who fell victim to the practice.
"Across Australia, a number of hospitals and now the state of Western Australia have apologised for what occurred, there have been parliamentary inquiries, and now many stories have been told of the horrendous wrongs that were perpetrated," Ms Hunter said.
"I am very pleased that the ACT has now provided its support for a national inquiry and committed to apologising for these wrongs."
. Ms Hunter said the ACT's apol¬ogy would contribute to momen¬tum for a national movement of recognition.
"There is a national push to recognise a tragic part of our history and apologise for the trau¬ma caused," she said.
"It is vital that we maintain the momentum for a national apology and ensure that it happens as soon as possible.
"The forcible removal of babies has caused long-term anguish and suffering for the people affected and the right thing to do is to formally apologise to the mothers, their children and families who were adversely affected by these past practices."