Studio 10’s Narelda Jacobs breaks down as she shares her father’s Stolen Generations story

Studio 10 panelist Narelda Jacobs fought back tears on Thursday as she shared her late father’s experience of being part of the Stolen Generations.

The 44-year-old journalist spoke about her family history to commemorate Reconciliation Week and Sorry Day – a national remembrance and celebration of Australia’s Indigenous peoples.

She said that her father, Cedric, had been taken from his home when he was nine years old, along with his three brothers, and never saw his parents again.

‘The story that he told to us was that his parents were picking grapes, they were seasonal workers. The kids were playing in the vineyard and he told the story of cars pulling up,’ Narelda began.

She continued: ‘They were put into the cars. They were driven away. No permission given from the parents at all.

‘The last thing my dad remembered of his mum was her screaming voice outside the courtroom, as she battled to stop them being taken away. And she never saw her three youngest children again.’

Narelda’s father and uncles were taken by police enforcing government policy and relocated to the Mogumber Mission in Western Australia.

She added that her ‘heart bled’ for her grandmother, who never saw her three youngest children again. 

‘My grandmother had five births after the three youngest children were taken away – four of them were stillbirths and the youngest child died after two months – and my old aunties would say that [my father’s] mum died of a broken heart,’ she said.

Narelda said that despite her father’s traumatic childhood, he went on to become a Methodist reverend and marry a woman named Margaret.

Incredibly, he was able to raise her and her sisters ‘free from the bitterness’ engendered by the Stolen Generations.

Studio 10 also aired a tribute to Cedric, who was the founder of the minor Australian political party One Australia Movement that was active from 1986 to 1992.

Afterwards, Narelda held back tears and proudly said, ‘That’s my beautiful dad.’

It comes after she shared a heartfelt tribute to her father on Tuesday.

‘While my dad went on to live a wonderful life full of achievement, he never forgot the agony of being stolen,’ she wrote on Instagram.

‘You’re in my thoughts every day, dad, and I thank you for being a loving, nurturing and encouraging father. Sorry Day is a time to reflect on the past to create a better future for all Australians.’