On Australia Day last week John Bond was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for “service to the community through the activities of the National Sorry Day Committee”.

On 26 May, 1997, a report tabled in Australia’s Federal Parliament shook the nation. "Bringing Them Home" detailed painful evidence of the removal of thousands of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander children from their families. It recommended that a 'Sorry Day’ be held, and within six months the National Sorry Day Committee (NSDC) – comprising Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians – was formed to advance the implementation of this and the other recommendations of the Report. On 26 May, 1998, over half a million people responded, signing Sorry Books and taking part in ceremonies on Sorry Day. In May 1999, this people's movement launched a 'Journey of Healing'. From the inception of the NSDC in 1998 until 2006 John has served as its Secretary.

More recently he has joined former Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser and other thought-leaders to launch a website http://www.australiansall.com.au which promotes an inclusive vision for a fair, free and open Australia at a time when the politics of fear and exclusion are exacerbating divisions.

Shortly after hearing of the award 25 of John’s Canberra friends gathered to celebrate, including Ningali Cullen and Rev Dr John Brown who served as Co-Chairs of the NSDC for six years. Both of them spoke of John’s perseverance, persistence, organising skills, his ability to listen to people – many of whom have anguishing experiences to tell, and his extraordinary capacity for hard work.