Rudd's Apology
Today, in the first sitting of Parliment since Labour was elected in November, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd tabled a formal, bi-partisan, Apology to the Stolen Generations of Indigenous Australia. It contains three unconditional uses of the word 'Sorry', that has been so hard to say for so long.
I felt like I should write something here to mark it as, for me, it was a deeply symbolic and important step both as a new PM and as a new page in Australia's history. I think its significant to note that this was Rudd's first official act since being sworn in as PM yesterday during the prelim sitting of Parliment. That is pretty significant in itself.
I woke up this morning to watch it live on TV, and was as impressed by Rudd's speech as I was unimpressed by Brendan Nelson (Leader of the Oppositions). Rudd's apology is below.
I think all the rhetoric about whether or not an apology will achieve anything, and the downright disgusting, yet persistant view, held by a scary number of people, that all Indigeous people are alcoholic scumbags who sit on the dole, spend 'our' tax money and abuse their children, is completely irelevant. For 11 years the Liberal Howard Governement refused an apology. One Minister even denying that there was a Stolen Generation at all. Today is a symbolic day that allows recognition and healing.
Rudd outlined his plan for a bi-[partisan commitee to come up with effective solutions to Close the Gap on Indigenous and Non-Indigenous life expectancy, decrease child-mortality rates, get kids in schools, get effective employment solutions.
Listening to Rudd speak you could hear that he had taken the time to listen to members of the Stolen Generation over the past few weeks, using words like 'country', 'kinship' and the full Indigenous names of all he talked about. Nelson repeatedly used 'Indigenous' and 'Aborigine' as interchangable (denying Torres Straight Islanders inclusion with the word "aborigine') and used his speech to pretty much defend previous Liberal policy and, for some reason, to harp on and ON about current shit conditions in Indigenous communities. TOTALLY inappropriate for the purpose and forum he was in.
Anyways. I'm really happy to have witnessed this acknowledgement of Australia's past, and what appears to be a genuine effort to move forward from it. I hope that Rudd follows up his plans for genuine action in Indigenous communities, and this day allows more open dialouge between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous people to break down the persistant and pervasisve ignorance.
I think GetUp's 'Mythbusters' about the apology here is really useful and interesting.
"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. "
I felt like I should write something here to mark it as, for me, it was a deeply symbolic and important step both as a new PM and as a new page in Australia's history. I think its significant to note that this was Rudd's first official act since being sworn in as PM yesterday during the prelim sitting of Parliment. That is pretty significant in itself.
I woke up this morning to watch it live on TV, and was as impressed by Rudd's speech as I was unimpressed by Brendan Nelson (Leader of the Oppositions). Rudd's apology is below.
I think all the rhetoric about whether or not an apology will achieve anything, and the downright disgusting, yet persistant view, held by a scary number of people, that all Indigeous people are alcoholic scumbags who sit on the dole, spend 'our' tax money and abuse their children, is completely irelevant. For 11 years the Liberal Howard Governement refused an apology. One Minister even denying that there was a Stolen Generation at all. Today is a symbolic day that allows recognition and healing.
Rudd outlined his plan for a bi-[partisan commitee to come up with effective solutions to Close the Gap on Indigenous and Non-Indigenous life expectancy, decrease child-mortality rates, get kids in schools, get effective employment solutions.
Listening to Rudd speak you could hear that he had taken the time to listen to members of the Stolen Generation over the past few weeks, using words like 'country', 'kinship' and the full Indigenous names of all he talked about. Nelson repeatedly used 'Indigenous' and 'Aborigine' as interchangable (denying Torres Straight Islanders inclusion with the word "aborigine') and used his speech to pretty much defend previous Liberal policy and, for some reason, to harp on and ON about current shit conditions in Indigenous communities. TOTALLY inappropriate for the purpose and forum he was in.
Anyways. I'm really happy to have witnessed this acknowledgement of Australia's past, and what appears to be a genuine effort to move forward from it. I hope that Rudd follows up his plans for genuine action in Indigenous communities, and this day allows more open dialouge between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous people to break down the persistant and pervasisve ignorance.
I think GetUp's 'Mythbusters' about the apology here is really useful and interesting.
"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. "