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| National Sorry Day Committee | |
|---|---|
| Name | National Sorry Day Committee |
| Formation | 1998 |
| Headquarters | Sydney, Australia |
| Purpose | Advocacy for Indigenous reconciliation |
| Region served | Australia |
| Leader title | Convenor |
National Sorry Day Committee is an Australian advocacy body formed to coordinate commemorative activities around Indigenous dispossession and reconciliation, particularly focused on the legacy of the Stolen Generations, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission, Bringing Them Home report, and related inquiries. The committee links survivors, activists, legal advocates and cultural workers across institutions such as the Australian Human Rights Commission, National Native Title Tribunal, High Court of Australia, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, and major state and territory governments. It engages with civil society, media and arts organisations including the Australian Council of Trade Unions, Amnesty International Australia, Human Rights Watch, Law Council of Australia, and cultural bodies like the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, National Gallery of Australia, and Bangarra Dance Theatre.
The committee originated in the aftermath of the Bringing Them Home report (1997) produced by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission and prompted coordinated actions similar to earlier movements led by entities associated with the Aboriginal Tent Embassy, Federal Council for the Advancement of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders, Aboriginal Legal Service, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, and regional organisations such as Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service and NSW Aboriginal Land Council. Founding convenors drew on networks including advocates from the Australian Democrats, Australian Labor Party, Australian Greens, and community figures who had participated in campaigns alongside leaders like Mick Dodson, Pat Dodson, Eddie Mabo, Shirley Smith (Mum Shirl), and Faith Bandler. Early interactions involved legal action referencing precedents from the High Court of Australia decisions in Mabo v Queensland (No 2), engagement with Royal Commissions such as the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, and public mobilisation informed by performances connected to institutions like the Sydney Opera House and festivals hosted by the Melbourne Festival.
The committee’s mission centers on public commemoration, advocacy for reparative measures, and influencing legislation ranging from citizenship and human rights protections in the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 context to policy design in agencies like the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and the National Congress of Australia's First Peoples. Activities include coordinating annual observances that interact with cultural programming from the National Museum of Australia, educational initiatives with universities such as the University of Sydney, Australian National University, La Trobe University, and legal clinics at institutions including the University of New South Wales. The committee liaises with health and welfare bodies such as Aboriginal Medical Service networks, Beyond Blue, and community-controlled organisations like Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation to foreground psychosocial support for survivors referenced in reports by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
The committee comprises survivor representatives, indigenous Elders, legal advisors, academics, artists, and allied activists drawn from networks including the Indigenous Law Centre, Lowitja Institute, National Congress of Australia's First Peoples, Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation, and state peak bodies such as the Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Health Service. Governance typically involves an elected convenor, a steering committee, working groups for events, policy, communications and research partnerships with institutions like the Australian Human Rights Commission, Office of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, and university research centres including the Jumbunna Institute. Volunteer mobilisation reflects ties to unions such as the Australian Council of Trade Unions and community groups including Reconciliation Australia, SNAICC — National Voice for Our Children, and local land councils.
Flagship campaigns coordinate National Sorry Day commemorations aligned with Sorry Day (Australia) observances and linked actions such as petitions modelled on campaigns by Amnesty International, mass rallies reminiscent of demonstrations around the Mabo decision anniversary, and cultural programs featuring artists associated with Yothu Yindi, Archie Roach, Ruby Hunter, Gurrumul, and theatre practitioners from the Black Theatre Arts and Cultural Centre. The committee organises symposiums with scholars from Monash University, University of Melbourne, University of Queensland, and hosts panels including politicians from Parliament of Australia and advocates from organisations like Families of the Stolen Generations, Reconciliation Australia, and The Healing Foundation. It coordinates national petitions, submissions to inquiries such as parliamentary standing committees, and public education campaigns involving broadcasters like the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and print outlets such as The Sydney Morning Herald and The Guardian Australia.
The committee has contributed to heightened public awareness comparable to outcomes from Bringing Them Home report dissemination, influencing policy debates around compensation models considered in cases like state redress schemes in New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia. Its advocacy intersected with legislative milestones including discussions about amendments to the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 and the national discourse on proposals such as an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. Critics from conservative parties including elements of the Liberal Party of Australia and National Party of Australia have accused the committee of politicisation, while some Indigenous leaders have argued for alternative strategies championed by organisations such as the National Indigenous Australians Agency and local land councils. Academic critiques published in journals affiliated with institutions like the Australian National University and University of Sydney question effectiveness metrics; supporters counter with documented community benefits cited by the Lowitja Institute and evaluations produced by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
The committee partners with civil society organisations including Reconciliation Australia, Sisters Inside, Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service, Aboriginal Legal Service of Western Australia, and international bodies such as United Nations Human Rights Council observers and NGOs like Amnesty International. Funding sources have included philanthropic trusts similar to the Ian Potter Foundation, project grants from federal departments exemplified by the Department of Social Services, state grant programs, donations facilitated via peak bodies like the Australia Council for the Arts, and in-kind support from institutions including the National Museum of Australia and media partners such as the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Financial scrutiny and transparency have been subject to audits analogous to those overseen by agencies including the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission.