Australia Says Sorry

I threw this together during my lunch break at work so I must apologise for the ordinary quality, I wanted to get my political thoughts across in the heat of the moment.

On reviewing the vid I realize that some of the words are pretty hard to read so I have pasted the entire text here.

Today, the Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on behalf of the government will give a formal apology to the Indigenous people of the nation.

Specifically he will say sorry to the "stolen generation" of part Aboriginal children forcibly taken from their families in accordance with government programs of the day. Then, the thinking was that "half caste" kids could make a better fist of life if "adopted" by a white family rather than left to their natural parents. It doesn't take a feat of imagination to realize what this did to the children and aboriginal dignity in general. Harrowing tales of abuse and neglect abound. Many of the children now old and dying still have little sense of identity.

I have been conflicted for some time as to the validity of saying 'sorry'. Why should this generation apologise for the mistakes of previous generations? We do not take credit for achievements of the past so why take responsibility for wrongs of the past? Was I responsible? No.

On the other hand, the nation has a dark cloud hanging over it. How is it possible to achieve reconciliation with the original occupants without acknowledging the fundamental truths of our mistakes. How can they trust in us if we do not respect their grievances? How can we respect our nation if we do not own up?

Ultimately, the glue that binds us all imo is trust in one another, including all peoples and cultures. It is enough that such an ancient people as the aborigines have endured dispossession, disease and separation, without turning our backs on the facts. In order to move forward the nation must absolve itself of it's guilty conscience and the aborigines must feel that their pain and sorrow has been officially witnessed- again matters of respect and trust. The formal apology is the first major step in a new dawn of unity for my country. I proudly support the apology for this reason.

The following is the full text of the historic apology, delivered at 9am EST

"I give notice that, at the next sitting, I will move:
That today we honour the Indigenous peoples of this land, the oldest continuing cultures in human historyWe 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 the fathers, the brothers and the 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 Australians.

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 failed.

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, Australia."