Between the 50's and the 90's hundreds of thousands of Australian children, the Forgotten Australians, were placed into so called care. They were placed in both privately run religious institutions as well as Government run 'homes'. These children were sexually, physically and emotionally abused on a daily basis. Many many children didn't survive the 'care' they were given. These deaths, along with the abuse dished out, was condoned by our Government. Our Australian leaders not only allowed this behaviour they also helped to cover it up. The children were not allowed access to their family history, not allowed access of any kind to their own records. They were told they had no right to this information even though it pertained directly to them.

Our Government announced a Royal Commission into the abuse suffered by these children, but then to add absolute insult to injury added that this inquiry would only take evidence from children who suffered sexual abuse in private religous institutions. They refuse to acknowledge the horrendous acts these children were forced to endure unless they were sexual in nature and even then, only if it was in a private place of 'care'. It seems anything that happened in the care of our Government was fair game and should not be investigated or apologised for. This is abhorrent and needs to be changed. ALL of these people deserve to have their stories told and be heard and they deserve to be believed. The children that didn't make it and can't tell their own stories need to be heard via others as well.

Can you imagine being 11 years old and knowing that a boy you tried to run away with, to get away from this abuse, was beaten to death for that 'crime' while you were tied to a bed for 24 hours with no food or water. Can you imagine that happening here in Australia? In our LUCKY COUNTRY??? It happened.

The photo you can see is of my father at 3 years old. The bear he is holding was given to him before he went into 'care'. Can you imagine being that young, and the only love you are shown for all the years of your childhood and teenage years being that one stuffed bear? He still has Ted, but too many children did not even have that small comfort. They had nothing to comfort them at night, to stop them laying in bed, terrified of the approaching footsteps. Terrified in the morning when they were presented with what passed as breakfast. Made to work, hard manual labour in bare feet with no breaks. It sounds like something from a third world country yet it is in our own, our more enlightened world. We are horrified when we hear of this kind of abuse occurs overseas, yet so many don't know this is a sad, horrible and so shameful part of our own history.

Please allow these people to tell their stories and be heard. Please tell Mr. Abbott that the Australian public wants our Government to own up to and respond to the hundreds of thousands of cases of abuse suffered under it's care. Please ask him to extend the terms of reference for this commission. It's only fair.