In February 2010, the Queensland government issued an Apology to those who, as children in the care of the State of Queensland, experienced or witnessed maltreatment or neglect, or were inappropriately placed in Queensland adult mental health facilities. The number of teenagers placed in adult psychiatric institutions in Queensland is estimated to be between 50 and 60.
The 2010 Apology was issued by Paul Lucas, Deputy Premier and Minister for Health, and Karen Struthers, Minister for Community Services and Housing and Minister for Women. The Apology acknowledged that the previous Queensland government apology to those who had been harmed while in church- or state-run children’s institutions, did not extend to those who had been placed in adult mental heath institutions. The terms of reference for the Forde Inquiry were limited to institutions pertaining to the various state children’s acts in Queensland. As young people were admitted to mental health institutions under the Mental Health Act 1962, their testimony about being in institutions like Wolston Park Hospital were not admissible (Chynoweth, Goodna Girls, p.17). One woman who was in the institution as a teenager remembered that when she gave evidence to the inquiry, “When I talked about Wolston Park, they turned the recording off because it wasn’t in the terms of reference”. Another woman said “We were basically segregated from the Forde Inquiry” (Jean/Erin and Judy, Goodna Girls, p.17 & 63).
The Apology also noted that formal reconciliation was important in healing the hurt suffered, and undertook to plan a reconciliation process in consultation with those who had been harmed while under the care and protection of the state. On 17 October 2017, Cameron Dick, the Minister for Communities, Women and Youth, Minister for Child Safety and Shannon Fentiman, Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence, and senior officers of Queensland Health and the Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services spoke with the people, or their nominated support person, who have participated in a reconciliation process. The purpose of these conversations was to advise that the Queensland Government had approved a Reconciliation Plan which includes an ex gratia payment for each person and additional supports and to set out the next steps in the reconciliation process. Each of the survivors who had participated in the reconciliation process received letters from the Queensland Government that detailed a list of reparations, including ex gratia payments.
On 8 August 2024, Shannon Fentiman, MP announced a review regarding health services provided at Wolston Park Hospital between the 1950s and 1990s.