Origins Inc Time Line

Origins Inc.

Celebrating 21 Years of Adoption Reform and Advocacy

1995 April. Origins NSW founded by Dian Wellfare to address past adoption practices and trauma relating to adoption.
1995 Origins expands to include Queensland.
1995 Joined the NSW Standing Committee on Adoption and Permanent Care.
1995 Led the International Women’s Day March in Sydney.
1995 Origins attends review of the Adoption Information Act Reform Forum.
1995 November. Submission to Beijing International Women’s Conference.
1996 Marched at International Women’s Day Sydney.
1996 Tasmanian Dead Baby Scandal, Origins inundated by media.
1996 Origins expands to include Victoria.
1996 Submissions to Law Reform Commission on Review into NSW Adoption of Children Act.
1996 “W” v State of New South Wales.
1997 Origins presented to the XIX Congress of the International Association for Suicide Prevention Adelaide.
1997 Origins presents to the 6^th Australian Conference on Adoption held in Brisbane CBD.
1997 Origins Victoria instigates inaugural conference at Parliament House.
1997 “W” v State of New South Wales fails in Supreme Court.
1997 October. Dian Wellfare calls for Parliamentary Inquiry into Past Illegal Adoption Practices on Lateline ABC titled “Birthbond”.
1998 March. Origins NSW gains Inquiry into Adoption Practices. Inquiry begins in August 1998.
1998 Origins goes global with the launch of it’s first 2 websites.
1998 October. Evidence given at Forde Inquiry into Abuse of Children in Queensland Institutions.
1999 Queensland Ombudsman calls for review of vetoes due to pressure from Origins as a result of uncovering fraudulent vetos.
1999 Origins gains Inquiry into Adoption Practices in Tasmania.
1999 Catholic church apologizes for past adoption abuses on day 2 of Parliamentary Inquiry.
1999 BSERI. Baby Scoop Era Research Initiative
www.babyscoopera.com a sister organisation in USA is formed
1999 Origins speaks on International Human Rights Day.
2000 Origins creates first open to the public on-line chat room on adoption in Australia.
2000 NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into Adoption Practices finds adoption practices unlawful and unethical.
2000 New NSW Adoption Act 2000 incorporates all of Origins recommendations into section 5 of the legislation.
2001 Origins makes submissions to the Queensland Adoption Review.
2001 Origins has input into Child Migrant Inquiry.
2002 Origins Canada is established
2002 Origins instigates 1^st National Conference on Mental Health Aspects of Persons Affected by Family Separation at Liverpool Hospital, Sydney.
2002 Origins representative invited to sit on SWSAH Area Mental Health Advisory Committee.
2003 Origins NSW opens it’s own office at Bonnyrigg.
2003 Staged workshops in Sydney and Queensland into the historical perspective and effects of adoption.
2003 Origins submits submission to “Forgotten Australians” Inquiry.
2003 Qld Origins opens it’s office at the Mental Health Association Building Wacol.
2004 Origins mothers in Victoria win court battle for FOI.
2004 Origins speaks at Women’s Court of Human Rights University of NSW.
2004 Origins instigates 2^nd National Conference on Mental Health Aspects of Persons Affected by Family Separation. Parks Centre for Mental Health Wacol Qld.
2004 International Women’s Day March.
2004 Film Australia provides grant of $400,000 to film makers for Origins instigated documentary “Gone to a Good Home”. Filming begins soon after.
2004 Origins Queensland invited to participate as members on Adoption Act Review Committee.
2004 Arthur v Queensland.
2005 Origins celebrates 10 years of Adoption Reform and Advocacy.
2005 Origins Qld and NSW appeared and gave evidence before the Senate Inquiry Into Mental Health.
2005 Origins Victoria, Queensland and NSW submits and appears to Inter-country Inquiry.
2005 Filming of documentary “Gone to a Good Home” finishes.
2005 Origins links up to work with Aboriginal Stolen Generation through South West Sydney Stolen Generation Support Group.
2006 International Women’s Day March.
2006 Mothers Adoption Stories Art Exhibition held in Brisbane.
2006 Origins invited to speak at Sorry Day dedication to Stolen Generations Monument at Mount Annan.
2006 Appeared at Forgotten Australians Conference.
2006 Origins presents submissions to Senate inquiries into "Stolen Wages" and "Transparent Advertising and Notification of Pregnancy Counselling Services Bill 2005".
2006 Origins becomes a member of the Forgotten Australians Alliance
2006. Origins Australia is represented by two of our speakers at the U.S. “Shedding the Light on Adoption” conference in New York organised by Origins USA in collaboration with Adoption Crossroads.
2006. Origins Victoria Held the 3^rd National Conference on “The Mental Health Aspects of Persons Affected by Family Separation”. Melbourne Town Hall Victoria 10^th-11^th October
2006. Documentary “Gone to a Good Home” be aired November 2^nd on SBS National Television. It was later aired 3 more times on SBS in the following 2 years
2007 Origins presents submission to the Senate Mental Health for Provision of Services
2007 Origins organizes Sorry day event at Mount Annan
2007 Lily Arthur NSW Coordinator is nominated non-indigenous delegate for Stolen Generations Alliance 2008 Origins attends Apology Day on Canberra
2008, Dian Wellfare Founder of Origins Dian Wellfare Passes away 16^th April
2008 Mothers day service at the Wayside chapel
2008 Origins organizes Sorry day event at Mount Annan
2008 Nominates Dian Wellfare for My Favorite Australian Unsung Hero for the opening of the National Portrait Gallery Canberra, Dian’s Portrait now traveling Australia
8/11/2008 Submission to the Senate Committee on Community Affairs Inquiry into Recommendations from Forgotten Australians Inquiry 2004 calling for a Senate inquiry into adoption
2008/09 Origins Qld lobbies Queensland Government to change Sec 39 Qld Adoption Act, new Act passes though Parliament in 2009 amending Sec 39
2009 Origins organizes Apology Day celebrations for Stolen Generations at Penrith NSW
2009 Origins gives evidence in Sydney at Senate Inquiry Senate Committee on Community Affairs Inquiry into Recommendations from Forgotten Australians Inquiry 2004
Origins recieved funding for Stolen Generations Journey of Life Project
2009 Contributes submission to Senate Inquiry into Access to Justice calling for a Senate inquiry into adoption
2009 Origins is represented by its members of the Alliance for Forgotten Australians at the Federal Government Apology to the Forgotten Australians
2009 The Stolen Generation Project "A Lifes Journey" is launched
2009 Origins consults for the Urban Theatre Company on the play "The Fence" to be shown for the Sydney Festival
2009 The Federal Govenment inititates the Institute of Family Studies to report on "Past Forced Adoption" with Origins Inc to provide the Institute with our many years of research to the report
2009 Discussions in Canberra with Federal politicians and Senators for a Senate Inquiry
2010 Launch of the play "The fence"
Feb 2010 Narrative workshop at Cumberland Women Helath Centre to coincide with 2nd Anniversary of Apology Day
April 2010 Response to the Australian Institute of Family Studies "Impact of Past Adoption Report" http://www.originsnsw.com/aifs_response.html
May 26 2010 partnerships with Liverpool Council and 5 LGAs and SGA for Sorry Day commerations Mt Annan and representing the SGA at Fleet Park Circular Quay Sydney Sat 29th May
2010 Senate Submission into Compensation Inquiry
May 2010 Origins recieves ongoing funding from FAchsia for Journey of Life Project
September Origins announces Origins International
2010, September 25-26 Origins sponsors "Shedding the Light on Adoption Conference in NY
2010, 15th November after 13 years of calling and lobbying and submissions into 10 Senate Inquiries Origins successfully gains a Senate Inquiry into Forced Adoption instrumented by Senator Rachael Seiwert of the Greens Party
2011, Origins in partnership with the Stolen Generations Alliance holds Apology Day celebrations at Westmead Children Hospital
2011,Completed Journey of Life Project for the Stolen Gnerations
2011 Held celebrations for Sorry Day and NAIDOC
2011 Origins HARP Coordinator Pamella Vernon our representative on the Forgotten Alliance and alternative Non-Indigenous NSW Delegate for the SGA, for all her hard culminating in a well deserved nomination for “NSW Woman of the Year 2011” Pamella was nominated by Clover Moore for her dedication to the issues of Forgotten Australians in relation to housing etc
2011 September SWSSGSG (auspiced by Origins) on behalf of SGA Presented artwork to Bishops Conference at Caritas
2011, October Origins documentary "Gone to a Good Home" airs for the second time on the Foxtell Bio Channel
2012 February 29th Senate Inquiry into Forced Adoption report is handed down Origins members turn out in force to hear senate committee validate Origins perspective of forced adoption and speaks with world media, including BBC and a US documentary on Forced Adoption
2012 May 26th Origins speaks at 3 Sorry Day events
2012 June 12th Origins speaks at Sydney University Human Rights Conference reception