Sorry

sass_my_frass

Tomorrow is such a huge day for Australia; our brand-new PM will open his governments' first parliamentary session with the long-awaited apology to Aboriginal Australians for the time in our recent history when it was policy to remove Aboriginal children from their parents. In some places it was out of fear of abuse, in others it was just considered the best way to integrate part-Aboriginal children into white society. Families were broken up, most for nobody's good.

I wasn't alive and it wasn't my fault, but I'm sorry in the same way that I'm sorry when somebody's beloved dies, or they find out they are ill, or that say somebody has in some way broken up their family. There won't be any compensation schemes set up and that doesn't matter; we have state and federal courts, and anybody who still feels wronged can fight for their day there. It's just a word, and possibly just a way for the new government to be 'Not The Old Government', but it doesn't matter. It's finally being acknowledged and our country can hopefully move on to addressing the major social gaps that have resulted from a long history of inequality.

I'm going to Parliament House tomorrow to watch the PM open his term using these words:

"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 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."

RAYZORBLADE

Awesome!

Here in Canada.

Let me tell you; we have many shames. Oh no, we cannot pretend all was well with our country's aboriginal First Nations' Peoples.

Considering my maternal grandmother is Mi'kmaq (Abanaki-Algonquin eastern North American First Nations); there's so much to be said about the similarities. Canada - Australia.

That your prime minister is acknowledging this, is healing (not complete) but it must absolutely start the process.

I'm so impressed and happy to see such a post.

Having some aboriginal blood in my viens, it does give me some solace. Yes, even for peoples I may not immediately be necessarily related to.

What a wonderful post.

Yes, I understand your stance with regards to YOU.

Many First Nations' people I know here in the Lower Great Lakes Region of North America; simply seek the simplicity of 'acknowledgement'.

100s of years of negotiations have driven them to some rather unpopular protests.

Here in southern Ontario, trust me, many folks here know what I am referring to.

Ipperwash. Caledonia. < for starters.

There are others, but they've been met with outsiders' understandings.

Good for your PM for addressing such a huge weight.

Give HIM; if possible, a hug for me.

Next: you Aussies - get your own flag!!

We did here in Canada back in February 1965.

We're still part of the Commonwealth, but it'd be nice to see my Commonwealth brethren represent themselves as they totally see fit.

Ironically. Our Canadian flag; the famous red and white maple leaf - was designed by.....an Albertan.

The seat of Conservatism in this country.

Interesting, eh?

Congratulations to your country and nation: may the Australian Aboriginal Communities rejoice!!

LouBelle

Will a ""sorry speach"" just be enough??

Will those afflected be happy with that after so many years of abuse??

Reason I ask is we had exactly the same thing here in South Africa - The New Government said sorry to previously disadvantage Africans, even made financial / land / job / judicial compensations and it is not enough. There is so much bitterness & hatred that black africans have and feel towards white africans - our country is still suffering apartheid (racial discrimination) but a reverse of it. The pendulum has swang from one extreme to the next.

IP_SEC

Hey loubelle.

Is sorry enough? Are things better for black SAs after apartheid? Dont know. If so then it was a step in the right direction. When you let a pendulum go it swings back and forth for a while until it loses energy and stops swinging. Atleast it is moving now. We can all do our part to slow the swing down to where it stops in the middle.

So is sorry enough? No, but it gets the ball rolling in the right direction.

LouBelle

IPSec - yes greatly - I mean there is freedom now, they have the opportunities to be / do whatever they want too.....but still a lot of hatred - but I do see your point - I do hope things stabalise - I have a beautiful country.

I guess sorry never hurt anyone

willdabeerman

My wife is native North American and she and her family can tell you things that will make you shudder, so I know how big a deal this is. Here the aboriginals are getting far more organized and ever powerful by the day little by little. So I hope this day is all you want it to be. It is after all at least a start. Now if the USA would ahhh nevermind.

Witness 007

This is a good start....well done to the new Prime minister!!!

SixofNine

It seems almost civilized. This can't be anything but healing and positive.

brinjen

Yay! Go Kevin! Is sorry enough? It's a good start and a lot more than Howard during his 11 years in office ever did, and this was someone who often complained about how good manners are disappearing from society. I'm glad our Aboriginies are finally getting their apology, and I hope this is the start of something bigger and better. Most Aboriginies that I have spoken to over the years have told me an apology was all they were looking for. Not compensation or handouts, just an acknowledgement of the Stolen Generation and how wrong it was.

Satans little helper

I am waiting for the current generation of Aboriginals to apologise for the amount of my tax money that they spend on alcohol.

If I were a drunken child molester, noone would feel it necessary to apologise if my kids were taken into care.

Sorry

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