Apology to Australia's Indigenous Peoples
House of Representatives
Parliament House, Canberra

13 February 2008

E&OE

 —I move:

That 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.

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, left, speaks with aboriginal elder Matilda House of the Ngunnawal tribe at a ceremony that opened the new session of Parliament Tuesday.
(Mark Graham/Associated Press)
"We apologize for the laws and policies of successive parliaments and governments that have inflicted profound grief, suffering and loss on these our fellow Australians," Rudd said in Parliament, reading from the motion. Aborigines lived mostly as hunter-gatherers for tens of thousands of years before British colonial settlers landed at what is now Sydney in 1788. Today, there are about 450,000 Aborigines in Australia's population of 21 million. They remain the country's poorest and most disadvantaged group, and Rudd has said improving their lives is one of his government's top priorities.

"Think 22nd Century Linguistic Rights"
What Language Should a Nation Officially Call Its Own?
Imperialism to Colonization Strategies of Rule
What is humanitarianism in a colonial context and you can start questioning the arrogance of colonialism. Watch the movie called Rabbit Proof Fence - A True Story about Australian history and the practice of displacement that lasted from 1905 to 1971 was inspired by the belief the government was 'rescuing' the children from what it felt was a life of illiteracy and poverty. The children were placed in state homes and were trained to be maids or farm workers. The government hoped that eventually the children would be integrated into the white society. Story written by Doris Pilkington Gaimara, daughter of Molly Craig, who was 14 (& acted exactly like the US underground railroad conduct er Harriet Tubman) when Molly and two other girls walked over 1500 miles across the country in 1931 to escape the camp. in Australian History of the aboriginal children (half casts) stolen from families then taken to camps where they are forced to speak english only etc. One 14 year old girl leads the other two back home across a 1000 miles over 9 weeks time avoiding the tracker. This was an Australian first nation "underground railroad" story of runaway slaves for the colonial power. And the girls had to do this twice in their life. This colonial practice of destroying the fabric of aboriginal culture was practice up to 1970.



NATIVE VILLAGE OPPORTUNITIES AND WEBSITES
February 15, 200 Issue 184

"One week ago, President Bush submitted his budget request for Fiscal Year 2009 and once again the First Peoples of this country seemed to be the last on the list of priorities."
Dr. Willard Sakiestewa Gilbert, President of the National Indian Education Association,  April 12, 2008

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<<<>>><<<>>>NATIVE VILLAGE<<<>>><<<>>>
"I do not see a delegation for the Four Footed. I see no seat for the Eagles. We forget and we consider ourselves superior. But we are after all a mere part of Creation. And we must consider to understand where we are. And we stand somewhere between the Mountain and the Ant. Somewhere, and only there, as part and parcel of the Creation."
Chief Oren Lyons, Onondaga, in a speech to United Nations delegates, 1977

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