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Australia says sorry to blighted Aborigines (Roundup)

Feb 13, 2008, 8:04 GMT

Sydney - An official apology delivered in Canberra on Wednesday for past wrongs done to Aborigines ignited fresh hope of a better future for Australia's 500,000 indigenous people. Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd greets indigenous representatives in the House of Representatives after Mr Rudd delivered the apology to the stolen generation at Parliament House Canberra, 13 February 2008. The long-awaited apology says sorry for the

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd greets indigenous representatives in the House of Representatives after Mr Rudd delivered the apology to the stolen generation at Parliament House Canberra, 13 February 2008. The long-awaited apology says sorry for the "profound grief, suffering and loss" inflicted on generations of indigenous men and women. Aborigines teemed into Canberra on Wednesday to celebrate an historic apology for past wrongs and to share their hope of a fresh try at a better future for Australia‘s 500,000 indigenous people. EPA/ALAN PORRITT Across the nation of 21 million, people cheered and wept as Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said sorry for discarded assimilation policies that some say show up today in bad health, poor schooling, unemployment and a 17-year disparity in the life expectancy of whites and blacks. Rudd, elected in a Labor landslide in November, told a gathering at Parliament House that the nation's contrition would help expunge a 'great stain from the soul of Australia.' The former government under John Howard refused to say sorry to the so-called stolen generations - those Aborigines wrenched from their parents and brought up in white-run institutions in a programme to 'breed out the black.' Rudd said 'profound grief, suffering and loss' followed when up to 50,000 children were separated from their families from 1910 to the 1970s. To applause and weeping from the packed gallery, he admitted 'laws our parliaments enacted made possible the stolen generations.' '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,' Rudd said. Albert Holt, 61, who lost six sisters, said an apology was due. 'I've waited such a long time. Let's face it, we were kidnapped people, full stop,' he said. Mary Terzak, 66, journeyed the 3,000 kilometres from Perth to be in the capital to accept a personal apology for being taken from her family when she was 2 years old. 'It's so important to me to see something so significant in our black history,' she told national broadcaster ABC. 'Finally somebody finally recognized the fact to say sorry to the first peoples of this land.' A proposal to set up a bi-partisan 'war cabinet' to tackle Aboriginal issues was accepted by Brendan Nelson, successor to Howard as Liberal Party leader. Howard lost his own seat as well as government in November and was the only living former prime minister absent on the occasion. Both Rudd and Nelson oppose cash compensation for the stolen generations but the government promised more spending to lift Aborigines out of poverty and programmes to get them out of jail, off the dole and into work. Rudd pledged that within a decade he would halve the gap in educational attainment, infant mortality and employment. Jackie Huggins, an Aboriginal activist noted for her work in tackling sexual abuse, readily accepted the apology. 'Just before, we saw five old ladies who had come down from Darwin and they were so excited, and like me they thought they'd never live to see the day this would happen,' she said. 'The prime minister talks about a new page in our history - well, I think it's a new book,' she said. But others were unconvinced. Andrew Bolt, columnist with Melbourne's Herald-Sun newspaper, told local television that 'if sorry could fix things, things would be fixed years ago, if it was only white hearts that could fix things, it would be fixed years ago.'

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Hmmm.Feb 13th, 2008 - 11:23:51

I wonder if we will now have 'Thank You Day' for trying to take them out of the stone ages, educating them, billions of $$$ on housing that they destroy etc and having them continue as a race..??

I wonder how many would be alive if the Japs had succeded in taking over OZ when they tried..Hmmmm..??

This is all about $$$$$$ as always with this lot, watch what happens now with the lawyers, the tax payer will have to suck eggs again and pay,pay,pay.

How far do we go back.??
To the Genghis Khan days.??
What a joke.

Left wing softys at it again, Good one Mr Crudd.

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What qualifiesFeb 13th, 2008 - 11:28:50

How do you describe an aborigine.?

Most of the so called aboriginies I saw on TV look alot more white than black, one or two toe nails black at the most.
I carn't help but wondering why these people don't fight for their obvious white side of their origins.?

I guess there no money in being white though hey.

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KelFeb 13th, 2008 - 17:05:47

This country will only grow and go forward for this action and committment this present day goverment has taken.PRIME MINISTER Kevin Rudd is truly a leader and history will show how great after that performence.just like to make comment about the person who asked where are the aboriginals, Was'nt only lands raped, but our sisres and mothers also by white man.

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Going forwardFeb 13th, 2008 - 17:09:18

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americanoFeb 13th, 2008 - 23:52:16

All that land has been stolen. Forcibly removed from its original owners and if their descendants don't want some stupid houses in reparations than so be it. No education and military support from Japanese will ever make up for the damage that has been done to them. Why would they care about one foreign occupation fighting away another? Why would they want white education in the first place? They had a long and rich history with traditions that have suited them fine. Genocidal land grabbing was a terrible thing to do both in Australia and America. No amount of money will ever replace a stolen generation. So why are you griping about a few dollars? Listen, enjoy your stolen land and your probably poor anyways if you are going to cry about someone making some money.

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tonny from belgiumFeb 14th, 2008 - 08:08:38

I would never condemn contemporary australians ,americans or israelians for living in their country presently ad being thieves .There is no such thing as inherited debt or collective guilt .There also is no harm in acknowledging the crimes commited towards indian,arboriginals and palestinians ,it is only the first logical step in preventing this kind of crime to be commmited iagain.So Rudd is right in what he says .

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