A packed Kiama Pavilion was the setting for this morning’s National Sorry Day commemorations, honouring and reflecting on the mistreatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples - particularly the Stolen Generations.

Held annually on 26 May, National Sorry Day marks the anniversary of the Bringing Them Home report - an inquiry conducted by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission into the forced removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families.

The ceremony began with a Welcome to Country by Aunty Lila Stewart, followed by a traditional smoking ceremony led by Kristian Jarrett.

Kristian Jarrett leading the smoking service.

A practice dating back thousands of years, the smoking ceremony is a cultural ritual intended to cleanse the area and those present of negative spirits, while promoting well-being and protection.

Following the ceremony, Mayor Cameron McDonald addressed the crowd.

“I want to acknowledge members of the Stolen Generations both here and elsewhere on this important occasion. As Mayor, and on behalf of the municipality of Kiama, I say sorry. I reaffirm our commitment to reconciliation.”

Federal Member for Gilmore, Fiona Phillips, then took the stage. She noted that 2025 will mark 17 years since then-Prime Minister Kevin Rudd delivered the National Apology to Australia's First Nations peoples.

“But the apology was never meant to be the end of the story,” said Mrs Phillips. “It was the beginning of a new chapter - one in which Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have the same opportunities as all Australians.

“An Australia where the government works with Indigenous communities to ensure equal access to jobs, housing, healthcare, education, and fair wages.”

Mayor Cameron McDonald (Left) and Member for Gilmore Fiona Phillips addressing the crowd on National Sorry Day.

She also acknowledged the legacy of the Bomaderry Aboriginal Children’s Home.

“It was the first and longest-running Aboriginal children’s home in the state, and is sadly often referred to as the birthplace of the Stolen Generations in NSW. As the Member for Gilmore, I will never forget that painful chapter in our history.”

Mrs Phillips concluded on a hopeful note: “I’m encouraged when I see our local schools and early learning centres embedding Aboriginal culture and language into their curriculum - just as it should be.”

The program continued with a heartfelt speech from Kiama High School student Tyiara Simon, who reflected on this year’s Sorry Day theme: “Bridging Now to Next” by sharing the story of her great-great-grandmother, Ella Simon, who was taken from her family as a baby.

“She was born in a tent on the edge of Taree, in Biripi Country. Nan Ella overcame adversity to become an activist and spokesperson for her people.”

In 1957, Ella was granted a Certificate of Exemption - an official document that restricted Aboriginal people’s rights in exchange for limited freedoms.

Kiama High School student Tyiara Simon speaking on National Sorry Day.

“She had to give up her identity just to enter shops or get a job,” said Tyiara. “She later formed the first Aboriginal branch of the Country Women’s Association at Purfleet. From that resilience, she became the first Aboriginal Justice of the Peace in Australia.”

Tyiara concluded: “Her story gives me a deeper understanding of the injustice and adversity faced by our people. This is why Sorry Day matters - to hear stories like Nan Ella’s, so that people like you and me can carry them in our hearts and better understand these journeys.”

After the speech, wreaths were presented to Elders Aunty Lila Stewart and Aunty Jodie Stewart. The day ended with cultural and educational activities for the students in attendance.

Primary school students engaging in the smoking ceremony.

Despite national recognition and progress, 23 years after the Bringing Them Home report and 17 years since the National Apology, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children remain 10.6 times more likely to be removed from their families than non-Indigenous children.

We cannot begin to heal the present without acknowledging the truths of our past. National Sorry Day calls on all Australians to remember the Stolen Generations - and to recognise that historical injustice continues to have real and lasting impacts on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and communities today.