The removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families has reached alarming rates, according to research from Associate Professor BJ Newton at the University of New South Wales. Despite the National Apology delivered by then-Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on February 13, 2008, which aimed to acknowledge and rectify the injustices faced by the Stolen Generations, the situation has deteriorated rather than improved.
In his speech, Rudd expressed hope for a new era of reconciliation, stating that the nation must confront “unfinished business.” However, A/Prof. Newton argues that the persistent removal of Aboriginal children highlights a failure to address systemic racism within Australia’s child protection systems. Since around 2012, various jurisdictions have implemented US-designed tools for Structured Decision Making, which have been criticized for their inherent racial biases. While Queensland and New South Wales have suspended these tools, no government has taken steps to reunify the over 22,000 Aboriginal children currently in out-of-home care (OOHC) who were removed during this period.
A/Prof. Newton’s research indicates that once children enter OOHC, the legislative and bureaucratic obstacles to reunification become daunting. He emphasizes that the lack of acknowledgment for ongoing injustices in both Rudd’s and former Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson‘s speeches set a concerning precedent. Nelson’s response, which included statements minimizing the violence of past policies, failed to recognize the contemporary issues affecting Aboriginal families.
The Closing the Gap Target 12, which aims to reduce the over-representation of Aboriginal children in OOHC by 45% by 2031, is currently not on track. As rates of child removal remain high, governments continue to overlook the structural issues that drive these actions. Instead, A/Prof. Newton calls for genuine change through Aboriginal-led, rights-based, and anti-colonial systems of care.
Indigenous communities have long sought autonomy and self-determination, yet government interventions often prioritize control over meaningful support. A/Prof. Newton asserts that until the Australian government recognizes and rectifies these systemic issues, the cycle of removal and trauma will persist.
As Australia reflects on 18 years since the National Apology, the urgency for comprehensive reform in child protection systems becomes increasingly clear. The current trajectory indicates that without significant policy changes and a commitment to genuine reconciliation, the painful legacy of the Stolen Generations will continue to impact Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
