Bronwyn Smith, a survivor of Australia's Stolen Generations, recounts her traumatic childhood experience in the Cherbourg Aboriginal Girls' Dormitory, where she was forcibly removed from her family. Despite the harsh conditions, she emphasizes the importance of familial bonds and calls for government action to address ongoing Indigenous child removals, highlighting the need for reparations and truth-telling in Queensland.

• 01From 1910 to 1970, up to one-third of Indigenous children in Australia were forcibly removed from their families under discriminatory government policies.
• 02The Cherbourg Aboriginal Girls' Dormitory imposed strict routines and prohibited contact with family, contributing to deep emotional trauma.
• 03As of 2024, nearly 20,000 Indigenous children were in out-of-home care, representing over 44% of all children in the system.
• 04Only five out of 83 recommendations from the Bringing Them Home report have been implemented since its release.
• 05National Sorry Day on May 26 aims to promote action on the recommendations for the Stolen Generations, with this year's theme focusing on moving 'From Sorry to Action.'

The ongoing high rate of Indigenous child removals affects families and communities, perpetuating cycles of trauma and loss.