National Apology to Victims and Survivors of Institutional Child Sexual Abuse, Prime Minister Hon Scott Morrison and Leader of the Opposition Hon Bill Shorten address victims and survivors in the Great Hall.
Parliament House 22nd October. Image courtesy of AUSPIC, Department of Parliamentary Services. 

On 22 October 2018, Prime Minister Scott Morrison offered an apology on behalf of the Australian government and the nation to the victims and survivors of institutional child sexual abuse. In the Apology, he acknowledged the ‘pain, suffering and trauma inflicted upon victims and survivors as children, and for its profound and ongoing impact’.

The Hon Scott Morrison (born 1968, signatory), Gemma Black (born 1956, calligrapher), Apology to Victims and Survivors of Institutional Child Sexual Abuse, 2019, Official Gifts Collection, Parliament House Art Collection, Department of Parliamentary Services. Gift commissioned by the Attorney-General’s Department, 2019.

After the motion of apology was moved in the House of Representatives, Prime Minister Morrison and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten addressed guests in the Great Hall of Parliament House.

A copy of the Apology is on permanent display at Parliament House.

The Apology was delivered in response to the findings of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.  Announced by Prime Minister Julia Gillard  in November 2012, the Royal Commission was established in January 2013 by Governor-General Quentin Bryce to inquire into and report on 'institutional responses to allegations and incidents of child sexual abuse and related matters'.Over its five-year life, the Royal Commission received more than 25,000 letters and emails, heard from more than 8000 victims and survivors in private sessions, and made more than 2,500 referrals to authorities, including to police. Its Final Report was tabled in Parliament in December 2017. The Government tabled its response in June 2018.

During the inquiry many victims and survivors said that misinformation and stigma surrounding child sexual abuse further enabled their abuse. The Apology aimed to counter this and raise national awareness and understanding of the need to protect Australia’s children from sexual abuse and its effects. 

The National Apology was developed on the advice of an independent Reference Group, and following community consultations.

For many, the Apology marked an important step in the recognition of victims and survivors and gave Australians the opportunity to pause and reflect on the role that Governments and communities should play in protecting children from abuse.

Today the Australian Government and this Parliament, on behalf of all Australians, unreservedly apologises to the victims and survivors of institutional child sexual abuse.

We know that we must and will do better to protect all children in Australia from abuse and that our actions will give true and practical meaning to this apology. Our children deserve nothing less.

The Hon Scott Morrison
22 October 2018

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