Australian parliament’s apology to Stolen Generations
Watch tomorrow’s historic apology live online at 8:55am, Canberra time. Find your time zone here.
[Spoiler alert!]
Here’s the text of the apology, released today. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is expected to say:
"Today we honour the Indigenous peoples of this land, the oldest continuing cultures in human history.
We reflect on their past mistreatment.
We reflect in particular on the mistreatment of those who were Stolen Generations – this blemished chapter in our nation’s history.
The time has now come for the nation to turn a new page in Australia’s history by righting the wrongs of the past and so moving forward with confidence to the future.
We apologise for the laws and policies of successive Parliaments and governments that have inflicted profound grief, suffering and loss on these our fellow Australians.
We apologise especially for the removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families, their communities and their country.
For the pain, suffering and hurt of these Stolen Generations, their descendants and for their families left behind, we say sorry.
To the mothers and fathers, the brothers and sisters, for the breaking up of families and communities, we say sorry.
And for the indignity and degradation thus inflicted on a proud people and a proud culture, we say sorry.
We the Parliament of Australia respectfully request that this apology be received in the spirit in which it is offered as part of the healing of the nation.
For the future we take heart; resolving that this new page in the history of our great continent can now be written.
We today take this first step by acknowledging the past and laying claim to a future that embraces all Australian.
A future where this Parliament resolves that the injustices of the past must never, never happen again.
A future where we harness the determination of all Australians, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, to close the gap that lies between us in life expectancy, educational achievement and economic opportunity."
A future where we embrace the possibility of new solutions to enduring problems where old approaches have changed.
A future based on mutual respect, mutual resolve and mutual responsibility.
A future where all Australians, whatever their origins, are truly equal partners, with equal opportunities and with an equal stake in shaping the next chapter in the history of this great country."
Dear Olivia,
I’ve just gotten back from Parliament House. It was wonderful; so many Aboriginal people had come, mingling with kids in school uniform, families, public servants, older people embracing each other. Lots of clapping, and crying.
(And a little bit of laughing at the look on Brendan Nelson’s face when Kevin Rudd announced his bipartisan plan; and then a bit of booing for Nelson’s reply: he mustn’t have got the “unconditional” part).
I felt sad, that such a simple act of decency has become so precious. My friend Bec said “We’ve lived under Howard for so long that we started to believe doing the wrong thing was normal.”
Hooray, at last.
Julie.
[…] What a great day. Australia has apologised to the Stolen Generations. Prime Minister Rudd, in the presence of the new parliament, most surviving former Prime Ministers, and about 100 survivors of the Stolen Generations, delivered an apology that acknowledged the "profound grief, suffering and loss" caused by successive governments. He did not presume to ask for forgiveness as such, but believes we can "take heart" that the future holds the promise of true equality for all Australians. […]
[…] Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, Tom Calma (pictured right), called it a "giant step": "another milestone in the new partnership forged between Indigenous peoples and governments in February last year with the National Apology to the Stolen Generations." […]