den: (happy den)
[personal profile] den
February 12, 2008
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's apology motion has been tabled in Parliament:
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.

Date: 13 Feb 2008 01:54 (UTC)
From: [identity profile] zibblsnrt.livejournal.com
"Tabled" seems to mean a different thing in just about every country - was the motion presented for discussion/debate/a vote, or was it cast aside?

Date: 13 Feb 2008 02:20 (UTC)
From: [identity profile] the-starshadow.livejournal.com
Tabled here means that it was presented for discussion etc. Of course, after a statement by the opposition, it was passed unanimously by the Parliament.

Date: 13 Feb 2008 05:24 (UTC)
From: [identity profile] dewhitton.livejournal.com
"Tabled" here means the motion was read out in Parliament, which also means that it has been entered into the Hansard permanent record.

Date: 13 Feb 2008 07:47 (UTC)

Date: 13 Feb 2008 02:41 (UTC)
From: [identity profile] zhenzhi.livejournal.com
why pessimistic?

Date: 13 Feb 2008 03:09 (UTC)
From: [identity profile] dewhitton.livejournal.com
I meant "pleased" but miss-clicked. I'm pleased now.

Date: 13 Feb 2008 03:30 (UTC)
From: [identity profile] zhenzhi.livejournal.com
oh! :-) i'm glad!

Date: 13 Feb 2008 13:30 (UTC)
frith: Cosgrove/Onuki (anime retelling) (Default)
From: [personal profile] frith
Ah! Your mood improved! 8-D I thought maybe the antics of the opposition had you down.

Date: 13 Feb 2008 03:27 (UTC)
From: [identity profile] zibblsnrt.livejournal.com
I'd assume the talking the talk versus walking the walk problems inherent in that.

Date: 13 Feb 2008 03:27 (UTC)
From: [identity profile] zibblsnrt.livejournal.com
Or I could be entirely offbase going from the above. ;)

Date: 13 Feb 2008 03:30 (UTC)
From: [identity profile] zhenzhi.livejournal.com
no denying the fact that there is a long way to go... but it is a good start :-)

Date: 13 Feb 2008 03:55 (UTC)
From: [identity profile] aj-hyena.livejournal.com
Here in the US any apology to other places (like the native americans who were here long before us) is looked at as a joke... hope it won't end up that way down there.

Can you send the US some intelligence? Most of the people here have the brains of a lobotomized glass of water...

Ageis J. Hyena, signing off, over and out.

Date: 13 Feb 2008 12:16 (UTC)
From: [identity profile] sioneva.livejournal.com
Yeah, I'm well-impressed that he made those remarks...in the US, I think most people either think Manifest Destiny WAS really a valid reason to commit genocide or are too ashamed to admit they think it was wrong.

Because, you know, if we admitted we'd done the wrong thing, we might actually have to give back some of the NICE land!

Date: 13 Feb 2008 16:31 (UTC)
From: [identity profile] weyrdbird.livejournal.com
The time has come to say fair's fair
To pay the rent
To pay our share
The time has come
A fact's a fact
It belongs to them
Let's give it back!

How can we dance when our earth is turning?
How can we sleep when our beds are burning?

-Midnight Oil

Damn straight! However, an apology is just that. It's a good start, but the real work is still to come.
I wish we Americans had half as much guts.

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