Aussie PM apologizes to unwed mothers over forced adoptions
Source: Agencies |
March 22, 2013, Friday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
AUSTRALIAN Prime Minister Julia Gillard delivered a historic national apology in Parliament yesterday to the thousands of unwed mothers who were forced by government policies to give up their babies for adoption over several decades.
More than 800 people affected by the policy cried and cheered as they listened to the apology in the Great Hall of Parliament House. They responded with a standing ovation when it was finished.
A national apology was recommended a year ago by a Senate committee that investigated the impacts of the now-discredited policies. Unwed mothers were pressured, deceived and threatened into giving up their babies from World War II until the early 1970s so they could be adopted by married couples, which was perceived to be in the children's best interests, the committee report found.
"Today this Parliament on behalf of the Australian people takes responsibility and apologizes for the policies and practices that forced the separation of mothers from their babies, which created a lifelong legacy of pain and suffering," Gillard said.
"We acknowledge the profound effects of these policies and practices on fathers and we recognize the hurt these actions caused to brothers and sisters, grandparents, partners and extended family members," she said.
"We deplore the shameful practices that denied you, the mothers, your fundamental rights and responsibilities to love and care for your children," she added.
Gillard committed A$5 million (US$5.22 million) to support services for affected families and to help biological families reunite.
The seven-member Senate committee began investigating the federal government's role in forced adoption in 2010 after the Western Australian state parliament apologized to mothers and children for the flawed practices in that state from the 1940s until the 1970s.
Roman Catholic hospitals in Australia apologized in 2011 for forcing unmarried mothers to give up babies for adoption and urged state governments to accept financial responsibility.
"A lot of upset mothers in there lost their children because of demand for babies," Angela Barra, 45, who was adopted as a newborn said. "People were forced to give their babies up; they were drugged, they were shackled to their beds ... they didn't relinquish their babies; their babies were taken," she added.
More than 800 people affected by the policy cried and cheered as they listened to the apology in the Great Hall of Parliament House. They responded with a standing ovation when it was finished.
A national apology was recommended a year ago by a Senate committee that investigated the impacts of the now-discredited policies. Unwed mothers were pressured, deceived and threatened into giving up their babies from World War II until the early 1970s so they could be adopted by married couples, which was perceived to be in the children's best interests, the committee report found.
"Today this Parliament on behalf of the Australian people takes responsibility and apologizes for the policies and practices that forced the separation of mothers from their babies, which created a lifelong legacy of pain and suffering," Gillard said.
"We acknowledge the profound effects of these policies and practices on fathers and we recognize the hurt these actions caused to brothers and sisters, grandparents, partners and extended family members," she said.
"We deplore the shameful practices that denied you, the mothers, your fundamental rights and responsibilities to love and care for your children," she added.
Gillard committed A$5 million (US$5.22 million) to support services for affected families and to help biological families reunite.
The seven-member Senate committee began investigating the federal government's role in forced adoption in 2010 after the Western Australian state parliament apologized to mothers and children for the flawed practices in that state from the 1940s until the 1970s.
Roman Catholic hospitals in Australia apologized in 2011 for forcing unmarried mothers to give up babies for adoption and urged state governments to accept financial responsibility.
"A lot of upset mothers in there lost their children because of demand for babies," Angela Barra, 45, who was adopted as a newborn said. "People were forced to give their babies up; they were drugged, they were shackled to their beds ... they didn't relinquish their babies; their babies were taken," she added.
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