The Stolen Generation is a major racial issue in Australian history and has had a major effect on reconciliation between white Australians and Indigenous people. Some people, both Indigenous and white Australians, believe that reconciliation cannot occur between the two races, for a variety of different reasons. One of the main reasons for this is the Stolen Generation, where many indigenous Australians have had to suffer from separation from their families, abuse, neglect and ongoing racial issues. Reconciliation cannot happen until both sides are willing to work towards this reconciliation. The “stolen generation” describes Indigenous children who were forcibly taken from their families for the purpose of assimilation. The "stolen generation" refers to abducted children, resulting in the lack of a "new generation", with the generation of the abducted indigenous population. These removals occurred from the end of the 19th century; however, most of these moves occurred between the mid-20th century. The deportations were conducted by all three levels of government, along with a number of religious organizations, such as the Catholic Church. (National Sorry Day Committee, 2014). Children had been taken since the early days of colonization, with planned takings of indigenous children occurring more often in the 20th century. From 1912 to 1938, in New South Wales alone, over 1,400 children were born to their parents (Red Apple Education, 2014). Once they reached the age of 14 the children were removed from their reserve and were forced to work as a laborer or servant elsewhere.2. These policies were created by Australian governments to assimilate the indigenous population, with official policies being... middle of the paper... If he lives without seeing his mother, he claims reconciliation cannot happen, as the two races have never been friends to start with (Stanley, 2014). His view is shared by many indigenous Australians, in that he is willing to forgive people, but does not want compensation for what happened, but simply for his story and experiences to be recognized by the government. The Stolen Generation had a major effect on the reconciliation between white and indigenous Australia. With the Australian Government's recognition of the neglect and abuse suffered by large numbers of Indigenous Australians, further steps towards reconciliation can be taken. Events such as Kevin Rudd's speech were a great step towards reconciliation, with a formal apology recognizing the many Australians who have been affected by these actions.