13. February 2008, a historical day
The Australian Government apologises to Indigenous Australians
On 13 February 2008 the then Prime Minister, the Hon Kevin Rudd MP, moved a motion of Apology to Australia's Indigenous Peoples with specific reference to the Stolen Generations.
The Prime Minister described it as an occasion 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 in the future".
The motion honoured the Indigenous peoples of this land and reflected in particular on the mistreatment of those who were Stolen Generations: "For the pain, suffering and hurt of these Stolen Generations, their descendants and for their families left behind, we say sorry".
The Apology passed with bipartisan support from the Parliament and received a standing ovation from the floor of the House of Representatives as well as from the public gallery. The Prime Minister, the then Leader of the Opposition, the Hon Brendan Nelson MP, and the Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, the Hon Jenny Macklin MP, then shook hands with members of the Stolen Generations seated in the distinguished visitors' gallery.
Stolen Generations' elder Aunty Lorraine Peeters presented the Australian Parliament with the gift of a glass coolamon. The coolamon contained a message thanking the Parliament for the Apology on behalf of all those affected by removal from their families. In the message Aunty Lorraine explained that the coolamon was a traditional vessel for carrying children, and "a symbol of the hope we place in the new relationship you wish to forge with our people".
The Australian Government assisted more than 100 members of the Stolen Generations to travel to Canberra to be present in the House of Representatives Gallery at Parliament House to witness the Apology. Others viewed proceedings from screens set up in the Great Hall.
Thousands of Indigenous and other Australians viewed the Apology from the lawns outside Parliament House where they were also entertained by a concert featuring Indigenous performers. The Apology was broadcast live around Australia, where it watched by almost 1.3 million television viewers.
http://www.dfat.gov.au/indigenous/apology-to-stolen-generations/rudd_speech.html
www.dfat.gov.au/indigenous/apology-to-stolen-generations/rudd_speech.html" target="_blank">Speech by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to the Parliament - Apology to the Stolen Generations -...
