Support is available for those affected by the NSW floods. Resources and information can be found at the NSW Flood Assistance and Resources page.

Stolen Generations Reparations

In NSW, under the Aborigines Protection Act 1909, the NSW Aborigines Welfare Board had wide ranging control over the lives of Aboriginal people, including the power to remove Aboriginal children from their families under a policy of ‘assimilation’.

Children were placed into Aboriginal children’s homes such as Bomaderry Aboriginal Children’s Home, Kinchela Aboriginal Boys Home, and Cootamundra Girls Training Home. Some were placed into other government and non-government homes, foster care or adopted.

NSW Government Response to the ‘Unfinished Business’ report

Unfinished Business, the NSW Parliament General Purpose Standing Committee’s report on its inquiry into Stolen Generations reparations, was tabled in Parliament on 23 June 2016, making 35 recommendations towards reparations.

The NSW Government response to Unfinished Business, tabled on 2 December 2016, accepted most of the recommendations and officially acknowledged the enduring trauma caused by the historic government policies and practices of removing Aboriginal children from their families, communities and culture. View the NSW Government response.

The NSW Government response delivers a comprehensive package towards reparations for Stolen Generations survivors and their families including:

  • The NSW Stolen Generations Reparations Scheme and Funeral Assistance Fund. The NSW Stolen Generations Reparations Scheme provides one-off ex gratia payments and an apology to surviving Stolen Generations members who were removed by, committed to, or otherwise came to be in the care of the Aborigines Welfare Board under the Aborigines Protection Act 1909, until the Act was repealed on 2 June 1969. The Funeral Assistance Fund also provides one-off payments to Stolen Generations survivors to help with the cost of funerals.
  • Funding for collective healing initiatives including:
  • Stolen Generations Advisory Committee: to provide a forum for Stolen Generations survivors to have greater input into the decisions that impact on them, and provide advice on the implementation of the NSW Government’s response. The Advisory Committee comprises of representatives from the four NSW Stolen Generations Organisations and government agencies.
  • In March 2022, the Commonwealth Government will open its Territories Stolen Generations Redress Scheme. The scheme will provide reparations and healing payments to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people who were taken from their families while living in the Northern Territory, the Australian Capital Territory or the Jervis Bay Territory.  For more information or to register as a potential applicant, visit the National Indigenous Australians Agency website.
  • In August 2021, Aboriginal Affairs NSW released a report on progress in implementing the NSW Stolen Generations Reparations Scheme. Download the NSW Stolen Generations Reparations Scheme Interim Report, 1 July 2017 – 31 December 2020

Unfinished Business Progress Report to Parliament

The Unfinished Business Progress Report to Parliament outlines the NSW Government’s work to progress the commitments made to Stolen Generations survivors in the NSW Government response.

The Progress Report was prepared in consultation with the survivor representatives from NSW Stolen Generations Organisations and includes their feedback on the progress to date to ensure survivors’ voices continue to be heard and inform the delivery of the NSW Government’s response.

Territories Redress Scheme

In August 2021 the Australian Government announced reparations for Stolen Generations survivors who were removed in the Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory or the Jervis Bay Territory.

For more information visit the National Indigenous Australians Agency website


Want to know more?

Phone: 1800 019 998
Emailstolen.generations@aboriginalaffairs.nsw.gov.au



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