10 years since the Australian Psychological Society apology to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
14 September 2026
The 14 of September 2026 marks ten years since the Australian Psychological Society (APS) delivered a formal apology to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
This Apology acknowledged psychology’s role in contributing to the mistreatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the erosion of culture, recognising how the profession had not worked in ways which respected Indigenous knowledges, perspectives and experiences.
The tenth anniversary is an opportunity to reflect on the Apology and its aspirations, and consider what more must be done to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and psychologists.
Professor Pat Dudgeon AM, Director of the Boorn Centre* (Kwop Boorn Djenara) at the University of Western Australia and Co-Chair of the APS Indigenous Psychology Taskforce, delivered the keynote address before the APS Apology in 2016.
She said the Apology represented a significant milestone for the APS, and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
“We called all the Indigenous people in the conference to the stage so they would be a part of it,” she said. “It was quite a historical and very emotional moment.”
“I think it signified a turning point in Australian psychology, and we were delighted to be a part of that.”
Professor Dudgeon emphasised the need for more action since the Apology to create positive change in the psychology discipline.
“The important next steps is for the Australian Psychological Society to move into an advanced reconciliation action plan.
“Racism in particular, is very blatant and intense for our peoples. As psychologists, and as the Australian Psychological Society, that is where we need to put the work in,” Professor Dudgeon said.
Dr Leda Barnett, Vice Co-Chair of the Australian Indigenous Psychologists Association (AIPA), acknowledges the progress made since the Apology, and wishes to see more steps taken in the future.
“Since the Apology, there has been movement in the right direction, particularly towards honouring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge and Indigenous psychology within the broader discipline,” she said.
“There is still work to do, but progress is being made.”
Dr Barnett said genuine co-design and partnerships with Indigenous communities is fundamental to driving change in the psychology discipline.
It is up to psychologists to implement Indigenous knowledges into their work to best support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
“Indigenous communities have the answers. Our people know our communities and hold the cultural knowledge. Communities know what works for them,” she said. “Psychologists need to be willing to listen, to support, and most importantly, to learn.”
President of the Australian Psychological Society, Dr Kelly Gough, said the APS is committed to supporting meaningful and lasting change in the profession.
“The next step for the APS is to keep moving forward on its reconciliation journey, by listening deeply, learning continuously, and working alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples,” he said.
“It is about building on the foundation of the Apology, recognising what has changed over the past decade, while being honest about the ongoing impacts and responsibilities of the work that still needs to be done.”
“We want to see a very different future for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in psychology, in communities, in education and training, and across the profession more broadly,” said Dr Gough.
Belle Selkirk, clinical psychologist and lead of the Australian Indigenous Psychology Education Project (AIPEP) wants to see Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples shaping psychology at every level.
“Through initiatives such as the Australian Indigenous Psychology Education Project (AIPEP), we have seen what is possible when the profession commits to systemic change,” she said.
“The APS Apology was an act of truth-telling. It acknowledged past harms, but it also set an expectation that psychology must become more equitable, culturally responsive, and accountable to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
“The next decade should be characterised by sustained investment in Indigenous leadership, genuine partnerships, culturally safe pathways into the profession, and a psychology that is strengthened by the world’s oldest continuing cultures.”
*Kwop Boorn Djenara is a continuation of the Centre of Best Practice in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention (CBPATSISP), combining the work of the Transforming Indigenous Mental Health and Wellbeing (TIMHWB) Project.