Government today has announced the establishment of a nation-leading trauma-informed redress scheme. This scheme is intended to provide a trauma-informed path for a redress payment for mothers who were subject to historical forced adoption practices.
The government acknowledged the ongoing trauma and significant pain and suffering caused by these practices. An apology was issued by the House of Assembly in 2012, but this new action will ensure affected mothers have access to financial assistance and support without needing to go through adversarial court processes.
Media release – Jeremy Rockliff MHA, Premier; Guy Barnett MHA, Attorney-General, 23 October 2025
Trauma-informed redress scheme for historical forced adoption practices to be established
A nation-leading redress scheme will be established to provide a trauma-informed avenue for a redress payment for mothers who were subject to historical forced adoption practices.
The ongoing trauma caused by historical forced adoption practices has been highlighted during parliamentary inquiries in Tasmania and across Australia.
In 2012, the Tasmanian House of Assembly made an apology supported by all parties for these past practices, following the inquiry into practices in the administration and delivery of adoption services from 1950 to 1988.
Premier Jeremy Rockliff said the historical forced adoption practices caused significant pain and suffering for so many women.
“I want to recognise all those who have been affected by these practices,” Rockliff said.
“To the mothers who were affected by these practices all those decades ago, we are immensely sorry.
“Our Government is committed to ensuring affected mothers have access to financial assistance and support and the establishment of a redress scheme will ensure that they do not need to go through adversarial court processes to do so.”
Court processes can be confronting and often require victims to re-tell their story, but an appropriately designed redress scheme can ensure there is an avenue for financial assistance and ongoing support that does not involve an adversarial court process.
Attorney-General Guy Barnett said it was clear that redress offers a more trauma-informed pathway for the government to provide support.
“Tasmania’s redress scheme will be nation-leading and will be developed in close consultation with the community,” Barnett said.
“As well as offering a more trauma-informed avenue than civil litigation, the scheme will also offer affected mothers access to ongoing counselling support.”
An appropriate transition arrangement between now and the commencement of the Scheme will also be developed in consultation with those affected.
The Government will consult widely in developing the redress scheme.
People affected by this news who need to talk to someone can contact Relationships Australia Tasmania’s Forced Adoption Support Service on 1300 364 277, the Government’s DECYP Adoptions Service on 03 6166 0422, or Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Media release – Ella Haddad MHA, Shadow Attorney-General, 23 October 2025
Redress scheme announcement welcome, but long overdue
Labor welcomes today’s announcement that Tasmania will finally establish a redress scheme for mothers whose children were taken through forced adoptions.
For many years, I’ve had the privilege of supporting some of these mothers – women who have waited decades for justice and recognition.
The Tasmanian Parliament issued an apology in 2012, but no redress or compensation followed. These women were left without the support or acknowledgment they deserved.
In a speech to Parliament in 2023, I said:
‘The policies of forced removal and adoption of children taken from often very young mothers are a heartbreaking stain on our country’s history. They caused unspeakable trauma and sadness for the mothers, as well as fathers involved, as well as to the children, who are now adults. Many of those children have grown to adulthood without the opportunity to ever reunite with their mothers. Many of those mothers have passed away, carrying this trauma, often in secret, to their graves without the opportunity of every having been reunited with their lost children.’
These mothers had their babies taken between the 1950s and 1980s. Many are now elderly. They deserve to see real action that recognises the harm inflicted upon them and treats their experiences with the dignity and respect they have long been denied.
Labor welcomes the Government’s announcement that there will be broad community consultation on how the redress scheme will operate.
It’s imperative that the mothers directly affected are genuinely heard and have a voice in designing the redress scheme they have fought so long for.
Labor gives its deepest respects to the many women who have shared their stories, often having to relive the trauma of what happened to fight for this step.
It’s now time to make sure Tasmania’s redress scheme is nation-leading and shows true respect for the deep, lasting damage caused by these past government policies.
Media release – Rosalie Woodruff MHA, Greens Leader, 23 October 2025
Greens Celebrate Forced Adoptions Redress Decision
The Greens are today celebrating the Tasmanian Government’s decision to introduce a redress scheme for mothers whose babies were forcibly taken from them and adopted.
The practice of forced adoption is one of the darkest and most appalling chapters of Tasmania’s history. From the 1950’s until the 1980’s, hundreds of women had their babies stolen from them soon after they gave birth – sometimes even before they had the chance to even meet their child.
In October 2012, the Tasmanian Parliament recognised the state’s shocking moral and legal failing and the terrible lifelong harm and trauma it caused. An official apology was made to those women who had their babies stolen by state hospitals, the Salvation Army, the Catholic Church and other institutions, with recognition that the state had failed to protect them.
The apology was a momentous step, with many powerful and beautiful words spoken in the Parliament. But the State Government has never followed through on the apology with compensation – as was so clearly needed, and as was recommended by a Senate inquiry.
Women who had their babies forcibly adopted have been waiting ever since the apology thirteen years ago for justice and some healing for the ever-present trauma they live with. Some of those women have told me the apology they were given has felt more hollow as years passed without concrete action. Today, finally, action is being taken.
While waiting years for successive governments to enact redress, in recent times a group of women victim-survivors have renewed their push for justice. In speaking up, they have demonstrated incredible strength and courage, and we are so very glad they have been successful.
The Greens also pay tribute to Angela Sdrinis and her team, who have been steadfast in assisting women in their pursuit of justice.
The Greens have been advocating for the Government to act and provide compensation for women subjected to forced adoptions. In addition to calling for action in Parliament and in public, and helping to facilitate the affected women sharing their story with other MPs, I personally raised this matter of justice with the Premier on several occasions – including in recent months.
While we mourn the pain women experienced waiting over a decade to reach this point, including women who are no longer alive, the decision announced today is to be celebrated.
I want to thank Premier Jeremy Rockliff and Attorney-General Guy Barnett for taking this step. They have delivered where their predecessors did not, and for that they deserve congratulations.
Nothing will ever undo the indescribable pain inflicted on those young vulnerable women who had their babies stolen, but this redress scheme is nonetheless a real and meaningful recognition of what has occurred.
The Greens will be pushing hard to make sure compensation is fulsome and provided swiftly.
Media statement – Kristie Johnston MHA, 23 October 2025
Forced adoption redress scheme
Establishing a redress scheme for the many thousands of Tasmanian women profoundly traumatised by forced adoptions, causing lifelong harm, is very welcome.
The redress scheme will hopefully be substantial and enough to properly acknowledge the wrongdoing and harm of forced adoptions.
Between 1953 and 1988 in Tasmania children were forcibly removed from their mothers by authorities deeming a mother “unfit”, affecting reportedly more than 11,000 women and their children.
Some were sedated or restrained during childbirth or pressured or deceived into signing consent forms when they were plainly unable to freely give consent. Some were minors.
The Government has today responded to the mothers and their fight for justice, the women with lived experience who had to relive their trauma to tell their stories
Their fight has been supported by the advocacy of many people, including myself and other MPs, and the outstanding lawyer acting for the women, Angela Sidrinis.
Compensation will never erase the ongoing loss, pain, trauma and suffering of these women.
For many sadly the redress comes too late for those who have passed.
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