Jan Barham, NSW MLC, wants to enable ongoing recognition of the practices of Forced Adoption and the trauma it caused. She has a petition that she wants you to sign in support of various recommendations she has made to the NSW Government. On her website she states:
The NSW Government delivered an Apology for Forced Adoption Practices on 20th September 2012, which was adopted by both Houses of the NSW Parliament (view Jan Barham’s apology speech on YouTube). The Australian Government has also delivered its apology on 21st March 2013. The governments of each other state and territory have also delivered an apology, or have announced their intention to do so.
But apology is only one step in the process of reconciliation and reparation following an injustice. Ongoing acknowledgement of the impact of forced adoption practices, and awareness of the apology delivered to those affected, are important next steps. On behalf of The Greens, Jan Barham has a motion before the Parliament calling on the Government to:
- establish an annual Day of Recognition of Forced Adoption Practices,
- construct a public memorial to commemorate the apology to those affected by forced adoption practices in NSW, and
- develop information resources and a communications strategy to raise public awareness of past forced adoption practices and the traumatic effects of forced adoptions, and to highlight the support services available to those affected by forced adoption practices.
These would be significant acts of acknowledgement that could have a lasting impact. This is something the NSW Government should adopt as a permanent recognition of forced adoptions, and of their apology.
http://www.janbarham.org.au/2013/07/petition-recognition-of-forced-adoption-practices/
Apology Alliance Australia 
