A CATHOLIC order of nuns that allegedly removed up to 10 children of mixed race from their families in New Guinea in the 1960s has denied doing so without permission.
New Guinean-born Elizabeth Canny came forward last week and said she had been about eight when taken from her family by the Australian Union of the Sisters of Mercy and flown to Adelaide.
Mrs Canny, who is about 62 but does not know her birth date, wants the government and the Catholic Church to provide answers as to why children were taken from New Guinea and brought to Australia and how widespread the practice was.
Mrs Canny first contacted the Catholic Church in 2008 and was told the Australian Union of the Sisters of Mercy, which authorised the adoption, no longer existed.
The Adelaide congregation of the Sisters of Mercy offered access to archives but there were no relevant files.
The Sisters of Mercy said they had provided considerable pastoral support to Mrs Canny and remained concerned about her ongoing anguish and wellbeing.
The Institute of Sisters of Mercy of Australia spokeswoman Sister Annette Schneider said while practices up to 50 years ago were not those of today, a letter held by the sisters indicated that Mrs Canny's mother had approved of and supported her move to Australia.
"We have heard Elizabeth's story and we have tried over a long period to help her," Sister Annette said.
"We remain committed to supporting Elizabeth in any way we reasonably can."
Mrs Canny, whose father was Scottish, said her mother was not living with her family in 1960 and she had been under her grandfather's care. He was not told where she was taken.
"My grandfather waited at the airport because someone had told them we got on a plane," Mrs Canny said.
"My brother Peter said that grandpa couldn't believe they'd taken their child without asking. They waited at the airport for months."