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| pkcRAISTLIN |
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PRIME Minister Kevin Rudd said the Government will apologise to indigenous Australia's stolen generations when parliament resumes next month, but will not establish a compensation fund.
Mr Rudd said his campaign promise would be realised during the parliament's first sitting, but did not give a date for the formal apology.
He said the apology was necessary because long-standing problems plaguing indigenous communities could not be addressed until it was made.
"The intention is to build this bridge of respect between indigenous and non-indigenous Australia," Mr Rudd told Channel 7.
"(Then) we can get on with the business of closing the gap in terms of life expectancy, education levels and health levels between indigenous and non-indigenous communities."
He reiterated a promise that no compensation fund would be established following the apology.
"We will not be establishing any compensation funds," Mr Rudd said.
He also said individual Australians have the right to oppose the move, saying the apology was not coming from the non-indigenous citizens.
"We'll be making it clear that we'll be speaking in the government's name," he said.
"The judgment I have made is ... let's get this symbolic act of apology right and then let's move on together.
"Both symbols and substance are important - that's the truth of it."
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Gets my support. An apology from the government for previous policy failures, not an apology from the rest of us, no compensation.
I think that's a nice middle-road position for big kev to be taking. hopefully this can end the whinging from both sides. |
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| Fledz |
| I can support that. I didn't like the fact that people wanted all of us to apologise as I have nothing to apologise for but a middle ground is good as I recognise that there are problems. |
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| 00soups00 |
Agreed.. think it is a nice way of apologising for something that the majority of us have had no part in, however we need to acknowledge and recognise that it did happen.
Well done Mr Rudd... |
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| anarky |
| Good thing it'll ONLY be an apology and only words. Lol to whoever realises that liability has been established and they start on a class action for the rest of them. |
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| limitedtimeonly |
Agreed, apology is long over due and warrented. But its more a 'we recognise that yes this did occur and we are sorry for it happening' not a direct acceptance of responsibility which it shouldn't be because as its been said its not the current people in office's fault.
Indigenous people, especially the elders that continually bring the issue up and demand compensation and say sorry is not enough, need to move on (not forget, but move on) for the sake of the younger generations coming through if any forward progress is to made |
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tranceaddict Forums Archive > Local Scene Info / Discussion > Australia
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