“Silenced voices, muffled cries in the darkness, unacknowledged tears, the tyranny of invisible suffering, the never heard of pleas of tortured souls bewildered by the indifference of the unthinkable theft of innocence,” he said.

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“Today we confront a question too horrible to ask, let alone answer: why weren’t the children of our nation loved, nurtured and protected?”

Mr Morrison said abuse occurred in schools, churches, youth groups, orphanages, foster homes, sporting clubs, charities, group homes and family homes.

He gave a formal apology to “children we failed”, “parents whose trust was betrayed”, “whistle blowers who we did not listen to”, “spouses, partners, wives, husbands, children who dealt with the consequences of abuse cover ups”, and “generations past and present.”

More than 17,000 people came forward as part of the royal commission, and 8000 of those recounted their abuse in private sessions.

Mr Morrison acknowledged to work of former prime minister Julia Gillard in establishing the royal commission.

He concluded with a promise to establish a national museum to raise awareness and to learn from the cover ups of sexual abuse of children.

“We can never promise a world where there are no abusers, but we can promise a country where we commit to hear and believe our children, to work together to keep children safe, to trust them and most of all to respect their innocence,” Mr Morrison said.

Opposition leader Bill Shorten acknowledged those in the gallery wearing badges in honour of those who did not survive to hear the apology.

“There are those who took their own lives, stolen from our world by the trauma, the hurt and the hardship that they have endured,” he said.

“We will remember them today and Australia must promise to remember them always.”

Mr Shorten said he understood the reasons for victims and survivors to be sceptical of the apology, citing a man who believed the apology was “only so politicians can look good in front of the public”.

“After decades of betrayal by governments, by the police, by the courts and the law, by foster parents, orphanages, schools, sporting clubs, charities and more, he has every right to be sceptical that words are cheap,” he said.

More than 1000 people are expected to hear Prime Minister Scott Morrison deliver a national apology to victims of institutional abuse in Canberra this morning.

Among them are four members of Bendigo’s Indigenous community, including elder Aunty Iris Bysouth and Uncle Charlie Knight.

Speaking on Monday morning, Uncle Charlie said he was trying to be strong, but it was an emotional time.

Read more about their decision to attend and their journey in finding answers to child sexual abuse

The group of four are feeling a mixture of emotions as they wait.

Sitting with his head bowed, Uncle Charlie is feeling nervous, but surrounded by support. He said he had come to Canberra not just for himself, but for all Aboriginal survivors of institutions.

Uncle Charlie was taken from his parents aged one-and-a-half and placed in the Campbell House Farm School in South Australia.

There he was told his parents were dead.

Uncle Charlie said he was feeling nervous, but was surrounded by support. He had come to Canberra not just for himself, but for other Aboriginal survivors of institutions.

“I just hope there’s recognition in regard to what happened back in those days, and everybody else through the federal parliament and state government understands,” Uncle Charlie said.

“It’s for us to heal ourselves, but memories with linger on.”

The apology is a symbolic gesture as part of the royal commission into institutional responses to child sexual abuse, set up by former prime minister Julia Gillard.

In a statement, Anglican Bishop of Bendigo Matt Brain said it was an important day.

“The Anglican Church clearly bears a share of responsibility for the abuse and harm that has made this apology necessary,” he said.

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“I am sorry for abuse that has occurred through the Anglican Church, and apologise unreservedly on behalf of the Diocese of Bendigo. There is no justification for the abuse of children.

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“It has caused great harm and represents a gross breach of trust against those who deserved to be safe.

“I recognise that as a church there is much that we must do to rebuild trust. Being accountable for misdeeds is part of this task.

“The Diocese of Bendigo has set in place ways for those who have been abused by people acting under its responsibility to access redress. I welcome those who wish to seek redress for abuse to do so.”

Fourteen per cent of respondents to the royal commission were from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

The Healing Foundation released a cultural framework on Monday in an attempt to ensure action on all recommendations from the royal commission.

Healing Foundation chief executive officer Richard Weston said the inaction in the past on the Bringing Them Home report meant groups needed to keep pushing governments beyond today’s apology.

“This report documents a cultural framework for addressing child sexual abuse and protecting our children now and into the future because we know the legacy of trauma is not just in the past,” he said.

“Community capacity to overcome the challenges of colonisation in general, and sexual abuse in particular, has been severely diminished due to the breakdown of cultural structures and processes that previously prevented harm.”