Should Kevin Rudd say sorry to the stolen Aboriginals?

Question

And what could the consequences be?

I am still unsure about this as could open a can of worms (mind you Rudd loved the worm!!). His Sorry has to be very well scripted to prevent landslide legal action that could have financial difficultly for our great country, besides that yes say sorry.

Your thoughts people?

gramma- without knowing too much about it, the aboriginal children were taken away from their families many years ago and given too white families. there is a movie called "Rabbit Proof Fence".

Answer 1

With respect to the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander situation, one can only speak from personal experience and observation.

I joined the Indigenous community a bit over 10 years ago through beginning work in an Aboriginal & TSI Health Service. I discovered new perspectives on Australia that I had never been exposed to throughout school and universtity - real stories of family upheavals and disruptions that you'll never hear unless you interact with the Indigenous community. I've seen the effect of past Government policies and actions on the physical health and mental wellbeing of many people. The Government policies of not-that-long ago have long lasting effects on generations of people.

I am not surprised at the response that "we didn't do it, so why should we apologise ?" I'm afraid you are speaking from ignorance born of only being allowed to hear a skewed view of the issue (and I'm not being nasty using the word ignorance so don't get offended and distracted from the point). I would like you all to search beyond what you read in mainstream media and try and connect with the real people out there. It's a complex issue. I've attached links to two sources if you care to have a look. One describes the Stolen Generation and the need for an apology, the other is the large Bringing Them Home report.

Personally, when I saw the news this morning that Kevin is planning to say sorry as soon as possible I started to cry. I can't explain this response in words. It must be the spirit of my Grandmother. Saying Sorry will allow us to grieve and to move on together.

Answer 2

The aboriginal people are not stupid, sorry should have been said a long time ago.They know that the Government are to apologise, and after so many years this has not happened
It is just a mockery to the aboriginal people and the stolen generation, politicians debating on who will be the one to apologise, and when this will happen.

They certainly deserve an apology, but furthermost, they need the government working with them to prevent alcoholism and child abuse, not some stand over tactics, like threatening to take the children away.

They have suffered enough with losing so many of their children.

The repercussions could cause legal action, but they definitely deserve an apology, it is shameful that all the past Prime Ministers, haven't been able to say sorry, and now it is left up to Kevin Rudd, he should just do it, and get it over with, and then work with them in hopefully installing some positive living strategies to help the aboriginals.
.

Answer 3

I'm not an expert on this but I'll give it a shot.You had nothing to do with what happened 200+years ago,that's great.You think the past should stay where it is,that's wonderful.You have to understand that they are still suffering from whats happened 200+ years ago.Its not affecting you but their population has not recovered from the colonization.Their situation is similar to the black American situation.Everyone wants them to forget about what happened in the past but their current conditions are a direct result of what happened.Ever since colonization they have not been able to recover and rise to the conditions of white Australians,they have been held down and treated as second rate citizens up through to the 1960's and 70's,so at what point were they supposed to better themselves as a community when they are 1 generation removed from being second class citizens of their own land.

Answer 4

I acknowledge that what happened to some Aboriginal children was unforgiveable, but I just don't know that saying sorry is going to change anything. Kevin Rudd is not personally responsible for what happened and we don't really know for sure what happened and to what extent. I actually chose to study the stolen generation for one of my post-graduate assignments and there is no real hard and fast evidence on how many children were taken and why. It's all a bit of a minefield and I just don't see what is going to change if Kevin Rudd apologises.

Answer 5

Just to elaborate on myself's explanation of stolen Aboriginals, in the earlier part of the twentieth century, there was a law made that would enable the government to remove children from Aboriginal communities where child abuse, domestic violence and alcoholism were a problem. They then became wards of the state to be brought up in foster homes in the white community. Unfortunately, like a lot of government policy, it was abused and children were taken away from their families that need not have been separated. This created the "stolen generation" of Aboriginal children.

In my opinion, the previous government probably didn't want to apologise because they were trying to find a way to take the native land back with the so called "intervention" (invasion, more like) in the Northern Territory under the guise that they were there to rescue the children from abuse. I think that the government should apologise to the Aboriginal community and then work WITH them in order to remedy the social problems they face instead of marching in there and dictating what the government thinks should be done.

Answer 6

Kevin Rudd & Labor Party will need to sit in on the Council of Elders from across Australia to gain the prospects of how to the wording of such.

And have them give it their approval to the way it is presented so that it will not offend anyone so that the way foreward is in the best interest of all

Answer 7

Yes they should and then move on it is a stain on our history that should been addressed years ago.
People kid themselves if they think that this was done for their own good it was an assimilation process nothing more less to try to breed out the the Aboriginal race.
I know people like Opal are well meaning but they did not have alcohol or drugs in 1919 when the process started.
I know lots of people from the stolen generation and none them want to sue the government they just want their stories told and believed.
My mother-in-law who is not a drunk and is very hardworking and is member of the stolen generation herself had her children removed while her husband was over fighting at Kokoda in WW2.
He went to war as soldier and never expect any different treatment for his colour and didn't get any he couldn't even enter a pub when he came back then when he returned he had biggest fight of his life to get his children back.

Answer 8

An apology from John Howard spin doctors and speech writer would have been meaningless. John Howard does not speak honestly from his hart as Kevin Rudd or Paul Keating would

Answer 9

Apologise. Unconditionally. If you can't apologise when you are wrong then you are a prick and really need your head kicking in. How about giving them free reign of the land that they once inhabited by themselves for a very long time? I mean let them go back to their roots if they want, they seem to be able to survive better when they go back to the bush. Government handouts and liquor stores are destroying these people. I say give them free reign and let them go wherever they please to live off the land. They could teach us a thing or two. You take someones land from them and then their children and then in a more civilised time cannot apologise for the mistakes your ancestors made?

Answer 10

Yes, but done carefully. This questions is specifically about the Stolen Generation not to colonisation etc. Saying sorry to the Stolen Generation is not that hard a thing to do.