YOUR SAY: APOLOGY TO THE 'FORGOTTEN AUSTRALIANS' AND FORMER CHILD MIGRANTS

16th November, 2009 In an historic speech in Canberra, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd today apologised to the 500,000 'Forgotten Australians' and former child migrants for the abuse, neglect and suffering they experienced in institutions, orphanages and foster care between the 1920s and 1970s. You can read the full text of Mr Rudd's speech here and that of the Opposition Leader, Malcolm Turnbull, here. What did you think of the apology? Do you support calls for compensation?...

Your Say

Comment left by Vanessa Malisa. It was necessary for the abused to here the simple but crucial word -"Sorry." They came here as children, innocent and looking forward to the future as any child does. And look what happened? An unnecessary indecent part of Australian history that affected so many precious children.

Comment left by Caroline K. As a four year old, along with my seven year old sister, I was placed in a children's home in Victoria. Both my sister and I were physically abused by some of the other children, sometimes, I went without some of the required fruit because it was taken by another resident, I, along with some of the other children under seven were told that we had to bathe in a bathroom's sink and that it was only with another child above that age who was having a shower at that time. I was sometimes given and told to wear ill-fitting clothing, was served cold tinned spaghetti for breakfast and, at one point, was told to sit in the dining area until I could finish it. After an hour of it sitting on my plate, I was finally allowed to leave. I required medication, which was sometimes declined, it was misplaced by someone at the home, to be found later with numerous ants over the bottle. My parents, according to them, were handing over $1.00 (back in 1972)for each of my sister and I to at least one of the workers at the home. Each week, the children were all taken to a local shop with 10cents each to spend inside. Since that time, no-one has told either my sister or I about any other money. There were numerous other thefts that went on whilst my sister and I were at that home and, I cannot begin to describe the condition of the rows of beds which the children slept in. I did nothing wrong to cause me to have been placed in that home. I believe that the responsibility for my care at that home belonged with at least one government department. Consequently, I will be, if it becomes available, one of the people applying for compensation. I think, given what I went through, that I deserve to be compensated.

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