Jan McLucas (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today is a day that I thought would never come. It was with enormous pride that I joined with some 900 Australians in the Great Hall today to witness the historic apology to the so-called forgotten Australians and child migrants. I want to commend the Prime Minister and Minister Macklin and her staff. I want to thank them for hearing the representations that have been made on behalf of many people who were institutionalised as children and who were child migrants. The Prime Minister and Minister Macklin have listened to a call that has been going out for decades, and they have responded to that call in, I think, a very heartfelt way today. I welcome the bipartisan support for today’s apology, and I acknowledge that Mr Turnbull’s contribution was also very heartfelt.

The words of the motion which was moved today in this place and in the House of Representatives and put in front of those people this morning reflect a sound understanding of the history and the hurt and suffering that was experienced in the past. They reflect an understanding of the ongoing struggle of many people in dealing with their experience. They also recognise what we need to do in the future to continue to assist people who were institutionalised.

I never thought it would happen. The previous government’s response to our report, which was tabled in 2004, said in response to recommendation 1, which was that we issue a formal statement of apology:

While it would not be appropriate for the Australian Government to issue an apology for a matter for which it does not have responsibility, the Government expresses its sincere regret that these children were placed in situations where they did not receive the care they deserved.

Like many on the committee, when I read that response I was deeply saddened—but not as deeply saddened, of course, as those who experienced institutional care.

The value of the apology was on display today. We saw in the Great Hall a celebration of survival. As we all saw, there were lots of tears, but there were also many laughs and a coming together of people who have struggled, personally and collectively. They believe, and I share their belief, that they have made a great gain today. Today was an acknowledgement and a validation of their experience. We heard many times during the inquiry that people knew they were not being believed when they told their stories. Today I hope that care leavers across the nation and child migrants feel that the Australian government, on behalf of the Australian people, believes them.

Today I sat beside a man who was in care in a number of states. He was taken into care in South Australia, moved to Victoria and then to New South Wales. I had not met him before. He was very quiet and then asked me if I would talk to his wife rather than talking to him. She told me that they did not know about the 2004 inquiry—they had not heard about it and only knew about the work of many who have been agitating on behalf of care leavers for the last couple of years. They are not alone. Even now, from time to time, I am contacted by care leavers who have no knowledge of the inquiry and who have just realised the work that the Senate Community Affairs References Committee did. I encourage people who are in that situation to seek support from counsellors. Remembering their shocking treatment, which they have pushed back from their mind for so long, revives emotions and feelings that are very hard to deal with. We know from having so much experience in this that the simple fact of remembering what happened to them in their younger years does raise significant issues that require support.

I describe myself as a person who sees good in humanity and who believes that people are essentially a positive force in society, but the evidence that we heard during that inquiry sorely tested that view of the world. There were stories about lack of food, lack of blankets, lack of clothing and horrible stories of children in Victoria with no shoes. There were stories about the beatings, the use of children as slaves and the menial or worthless tasks that children were told to do simply to fill in time. There were stories about the verbal abuse and the emotional torture these children lived with, and the horrifying and all-too-common sexual attacks. These stories will stay with us all forever. But the bit that really gets me, and the bit that I cannot deal with, is the callous, heartless behaviour of so-called carers who intentionally built a culture of lovelessness in so many of the institutions. That is what cut me to my core.

How could these people systematically ensure that babies, toddlers, children and teenagers did not receive any affection, any kind words or any cuddles—no love at all? That is the bit that I cannot understand. How can an adult human being not show affection for a vulnerable child? Those actions are actions that have to be acknowledged. The hurt that they caused so many people has to be talked about. That is why I am so pleased with the announcement today by the Prime Minister that funding will be made available for care leavers to allow them to share their stories. I have in my office in Cairns a whole section of books that have been written by care leavers. It is clearly really helpful for people who have been institutionalised to write down their story and to share it. It seems to purge them in some way of the horrific experience that they have been subjected to. I do encourage many care leavers to take the opportunity to share their story. It is a very hard thing to do, I am sure, but if you share your story then I hope it will help you to heal.

There are many people we need to thank in this process and a lot of them have been referred to today. Various support organisations exist around this country and every one of them needs to be applauded for their persistence and their strength. Persistence is the word that comes to mind. They are all brilliant people. I want to talk about one person who made this happen—that is, former senator Andrew Murray. Andrew saw me in the corridor today. He said ‘Jan’ and we had a hug and that was sort of it. We did not really have to say much. I pay tribute to him. His dedication and commitment to ensuring that justice started to be done—and ‘started’ is the right word; we have not finished the work—initially for the child migrants and also for the care leavers is something that I know all of us in this place really applaud, but not as much as those people in that hall today. The ovation that he was given was truly well deserved.

Like Senator Moore I want to pay tribute to the staff of the Community Affairs References Committee. These people have carried on this work through the changes of leadership on the committee. They have ensured that the initial work done in the first inquiry into lost innocence and then the subsequent inquiry into the forgotten Australians was not lost. So to Elton Humphery, to Christine McDonald, to Geraldine Badham, who was there then, to Peter Short, who was also there then, to Leonie Peake, who has done a fantastic piece of work, and to Ingrid Zappe I say thank you for your commitment to this work. My final comment is on the word ‘forgotten’. I think we should forget the word ‘forgotten’. I think we should from now on ensure that we talk about the ‘remembered’ Australians.

Helen Kroger (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In opening, I would like to associate myself with the comments that Senator McLucas has made about the forgotten Australians and share her empathy, appreciation and understanding of what so many have experienced and still deal with. In my first speech over a year ago I spoke about the importance of family for me and quoted Thomas Moore:

Family life is full of major and minor crises—the ups and downs of health ... success and failure ... is tied to places and events and histories. With all of these felt details, life etches itself into memory and personality. It’s difficult to imagine anything more nourishing to the soul.

Sadly, hundreds of thousands of children were stripped of the opportunity to experience these ups and downs, these normal failures and successes, and these major and minor crises that we all have enjoyed. Sadly, their souls had little, if any, opportunity to be nourished. Today, Australians had the opportunity to witness our parliamentary leaders shelve their political agendas and recognise the torment and suffering of hundreds of thousands of children from the 1920s through to the late 1960s. It was a moving ceremony, with many of the brave victims present, supported by family, friends, and community and group leaders. Many of those who attended today we have come to know as child migrants and lost innocents. Today we extended a deserved apology on behalf of the nation.

A word, in and of itself, means absolutely nothing. The Book of James famously reminds us that faith without works is dead. Considering the application of that sentiment today, we may conclude that an apology without action is meaningless. That is why I welcome the commitments that both the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition made today. Their genuine concern and action in this matter is admirable and respected by many. I note with gratitude the many charitable and religious organisations that have in the past been involved with state care programs and have published public apologies to those abused and neglected whilst in their care. Similarly, most state governments have issued apologies to victims.

The Hon. Malcolm Turnbull earlier today drew attention to a quote at the beginning of the Senate Community Affairs References Committee’s Forgotten Australians report. Nelson Mandela said:

Any nation that does not care for and protect all of its children does not deserve to be called a nation.

Of the 39 recommendations in that Senate report, the very first recommendation has now been accomplished. The report wisely recommended:

That the Commonwealth Government issue a formal statement acknowledging, on behalf of the nation, the hurt and distress suffered by many children in institutional care, particularly the children who were victims of abuse and assault; and apologising for the harm caused to these children.

I note that the Prime Minister today pledged to advance some of the 33 recommendations made in the Senate report on child migration titled Lost innocents: righting the record. This action is also welcomed.

In my home state of Victoria today there were two events which coincided with the national apology. One organised by the Interim Service for Forgotten Australians and the other by MacKillop Family Services. I commend both organisations for their initiative and coordination of today’s events. On a day such as today it is important to recognise the organisations that remain committed to this important work—of which there are many—but in particular I would like to note the Care Leavers Australia Network, the International Association of Former Child Migrants and their Families, and the Alliance for Forgotten Australians.

Without the determination and resolution of these organisations to pursue what is right, there would be no apology and, sadly, no acknowledgement of past evils. I must also acknowledge the continuing work of the National Association for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect—NAPCAN—and Adults Surviving Child Abuse, who I have worked closely with and support in whatever way I can.

Today the Australian parliament acknowledges the individual experiences which children had whilst in institutional care. In many instances they were taken from disadvantaged circumstances with the objective of more appropriate care but were frequently separated from their family and, in the case of British child migrants, moved to the other side of the world. We have heard of the conditions to which they were subjected to: from brutal, isolated and emotionally inadequate to physically, emotionally and sexually abusive. Whilst not all children claimed mistreatment, the personal stories of so many are heart-wrenching. We know that there are 500,000 of these survivors nationally and 90,000 survivors in my home state of Victoria. No words can ever be sufficiently adequate in recognising the trauma inflicted by these events, and they should not be forgotten.

In reading some of the submissions to the Senate’s inquiry into institutional care, I was overwhelmed by the horror, abject fear and misery that these children endured rather than knowing and enjoying unconditional love. During the ceremony today, I saw the anguish of the past on so many faces. I can only imagine the continuing pain from a lifetime of torment that needs and demands our support and understanding. I also want to recognise and note my admiration for the strength and courage that was shown today by so many who chose to come and share. I am humbled by that strength and fortified by the collective will. As a nation we must ensure this dark chapter in our history book is not ignored but used to assist us in shaping our future.

I read the testimony of Mrs Deborah Findlay to the Senate inquiry who told of her ordeal as a ward of the state. She wrote at some length about this, and I wish to share just a little of it with you. She starts by saying that she is writing this story because she believes it needs to be told. She was born in 1964 and, at the age of two, was made a ward of state. She was placed in the Alexander Toddlers Home in Ballarat, Victoria in 1966, then transferred to the Ballarat Children’s Home on 19 September 1969 where, until 1979, she spent her whole childhood in state care. I will quote her from this point in her story:

While in the care of the Ballarat Children’s Home in Victoria I was subjected to physical, sexual, emotional Abuse constantly walking a fine line of terror, fear, hate and shame.

From 1971-1978 my cares physical abused me such as:

1)     I was made to have cold showers every morning, due to bed-wetting.

2)     Had my face rubbed in my wet sheets of my bed?

3)     I was belted with a cane, belts, bats anything that they could get their hands on.

4)     Had my mouth washed out with hand soap?

5)     Dragged along the hallway carpet by my hair.

6)     Kick in the stomach and body while I was on the floor.

7)     Made to stand in hallway in the cold at night.

8)     Made to clean on hands and knees cleaning metal strips on carpet runners cleaning hours on end.

9)     Had my ears pulled upwards that I was standing on my tippee toes.

10)   Thrown up agents the hallway wall.

I reflect on her life. Mrs Findlay is now 45 years old, five years younger than I am. And yet she has experienced such enormous tragedy and torment in her life. In her submission she continued to recount the emotional abuse she received. I cannot bring myself to mention the physically and emotionally violent atrocities inflicted upon her but, needless to say, no person should ever, ever have to experience what she has, let alone a child who has every right to expect that we will protect them. For the neglect and abuse inflicted on so many innocents by governments, churches and charities, we say sorry.