From The Guardian UK: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/mar/21/julia-gillard-apologises-forced-adoptions
Thousands of unwed women were made to give up their children so that they could be adopted by married couples
Associated Press in Canberra
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 20 March 2013
Australian prime minister Julia Gillard delivered a historic national apology in parliament on Thursday 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, many of them in tears, heard the apology and responded with a standing ovation.
“Today this parliament, on behalf of the Australian people, takes responsibility and apologises for the policies and practices that forced the separation of mothers from their babies, which created a lifelong legacy of pain and suffering,” Gillard told the audience.
“We acknowledge the profound effects of these policies and practices on fathers and we recognise 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$5m to support services for affected families and to help biological families reunite.
A national apology was recommended a year ago by a Senate committee that investigated the impacts of the now-discredited policies.
Continue reading at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/mar/21/julia-gillard-apologises-forced-adoptions
