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Rudd Apology Revealed (Read 38333 times)
RecFisher
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Rudd Apology Revealed
Feb 12th, 2008 at 4:58pm
 
Sounds ok to me:

"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.
peA 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"
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freediver
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Re: Rudd Apology Revealed
Reply #1 - Feb 12th, 2008 at 5:06pm
 
Thanks RecFisher.

Sounds good to me too. I especially like the bit about 'old approaches failing'. It sounds like recognition that past Labor policies on 'sit down money' etc didn't work. He could have used this apology to further wind up the coalition, but he did the honourable thing with it.
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deepthought
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Re: Rudd Apology Revealed
Reply #2 - Feb 12th, 2008 at 5:35pm
 
Yep, it is an admission of liability - it will be followed by billions in compensation, a strong sense of victimhood, a whole lot of 'gimme gimme gimme' and a further division between cultures which John Howard has gone a long way towards repairing.

Further it will never be enough so he will have to say it again and again in a hundred different ways.

But as he was apologising why didn't he mention the terrible wrongs inflicted by Gough Whitlam, Malcolm Fraser and Bob Hawke?
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mantra
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Re: Rudd Apology Revealed
Reply #3 - Feb 12th, 2008 at 6:19pm
 
Quote:
But as he was apologising why didn't he mention the terrible wrongs inflicted by Gough Whitlam, Malcolm Fraser and Bob Hawke


Rudd has included it in this line:

Quote:
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


There won't be compensation - everyone knows it.  Obviously there will be investment in education, health and creating jobs - that's all Rudd has promised.

There was an aboriginal man on the radio today and even he said compensation wasn't the answer as it would only be spent on drugs and alcohol - which is a possibility for some of those with addictions.

There are only a couple of the activists and some cynics who keep talking about compensation.


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Re: Rudd Apology Revealed
Reply #4 - Feb 12th, 2008 at 6:25pm
 
Its well written and if compensation follows- so be it. Get it over with and move forward.
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deepthought
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Re: Rudd Apology Revealed
Reply #5 - Feb 12th, 2008 at 7:04pm
 
mantra wrote on Feb 12th, 2008 at 6:19pm:
Quote:
But as he was apologising why didn't he mention the terrible wrongs inflicted by Gough Whitlam, Malcolm Fraser and Bob Hawke


Rudd has included it in this line:

Quote:
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


There won't be compensation - everyone knows it.  Obviously there will be investment in education, health and creating jobs - that's all Rudd has promised.

There was an aboriginal man on the radio today and even he said compensation wasn't the answer as it would only be spent on drugs and alcohol - which is a possibility for some of those with addictions.

There are only a couple of the activists and some cynics who keep talking about compensation.




Activists like this historian?

Quote:
Compensation must follow apology: historian

THE historian who coined the term "stolen generations" has told Prime Minister Kevin Rudd that next Wednesday's apology must be followed with monetary compensation for the misery inflicted on victims.

Concerned at reports the apology might be limited to the term "stolen generation", Professor Peter Read has also pleaded with the Prime Minister to ensure the apology is addressed to the numerous generations affected.

"If it's in the singular, it's appalling," Professor Read told The Age. He estimated 50,000 indigenous children over seven or eight generations were systematically removed from their families.

When historians turn into activists



Cynics like this pollie?

Quote:
Money should follow sorry - Greens

GREENS leader Bob Brown has said the Federal Government's apology to the indigenous stolen generations must be accompanied by financial compensation.

Cynics abound in the Greens



Or cynics like this lawyer?

Quote:
Apology hollow without follow-up

I am heartened to hear that he is finally going to take a step forward and make the long overdue apology to the Stolen Generations. I am, however, extremely disappointed that his Government has ruled out compensation.

Where's the cash Kevvy?



Or activist like this associate prof?

Quote:
Saying sorry is not enough without rectifying the wrongs

Real forgiveness, as the medieval philosopher Maimonides taught, must be based on truth; there is no use saying sorry if we don't pledge to change the social and political conditions that allow our confessions to have authenticity. There can be no reconciliation without compensation. An apology from the Australian government to indigenous Australians is a pre-requisite for a just future for our country. It will be good for the victims, the perpetrators and for us, the beneficiaries of past deeds.

Bloody activists



Methinks you have both hands over your ears again - the calls are almost a solid roar and compo claims will follow no matter how much legal advice Little Kevvy thinks he has.  It's a blow for Aboriginal relations.

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deepthought
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Re: Rudd Apology Revealed
Reply #6 - Feb 12th, 2008 at 11:16pm
 
Here's another cynic calling for compo



Quote:
Calls for tax cuts to go to stolen generation


Prominent Aboriginal leader Noel Pearson is calling for part of the $31 billion in promised tax cuts to be spent on compensation for the stolen generation.

Prime Minister Rudd will open tomorrow's parliament with the apology but has ruled out offering any money to those taken from their homes. 

Mr Pearson argues there's a legal precedent for compensation and the Federal Government should pay up.

Meanwhile, public schools have been ordered to fly the Aboriginal flag and stop classes tomorrow as Prime Minister Kevin Rudd apologises to the stolen generation.

The New South Wales Education Department has also instructed schools to watch a broadcast of the 'Welcome to Country' ceremony at the opening of Federal Parliament this morning.

There's a legal precedent for compo hey?  I guess that is the fact of accepting liability by apologising



See, once you say it's your fault and you intend on "righting the wrongs of the past" you are committing to make it better - how can you do that?  I only know of one way.  Compensation.

But what's this "public schools have been ordered to fly the Aboriginal flag and stop classes tomorrow as Prime Minister Kevin Rudd apologises"?  Do schools stop when Australia's version of North Korea's 'Dear Leader' stutters out lamentations?  Does Australia's flag get torn down when Dear Leader Little Kevvy 'orders' it?  Do school children begin their mind control with a "broadcast of the 'Welcome to Country' ceremony at the opening of Federal Parliament"?

What has happened Australia?  Have we aligned ourselves with the communist paradise North Korea?  Will we soon have speakers in our homes to broadcast the soul wrenching sounds of Little Kevvy sobbing out apologies to everyone for a rough time in the past?  How about the transportees Kevvy?  How about saying sorry for that travesty?
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Re: Rudd Apology Revealed
Reply #7 - Feb 13th, 2008 at 9:06am
 
DT says

Quote:
See, once you say it's your fault and you intend on "righting the wrongs of the past" you are committing to make it better - how can you do that?  I only know of one way.  Compensation.


Well DT you need to develop an imagination then.

And could you tell me [so Ive got it completely clear in my mind] what is so bad about "COMPENSATION"??? a really bad thing appraently. [[dare to have more imagination than to cite your hard earned taxes puhleasse.!!!]] Our taxes are spent on many trivial usless things i would have thought. Id much rather give Ind pple compensation than contribute to the Tsunami fund for Indonesia for example or East Timor etc.


The "Sorry " speech was well executed I thought.

Great that he touched upon the fact that the Government was trying to breed out Ind pple [characteristics]- a topic not generally dared to be spoken out loud.


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« Last Edit: Feb 13th, 2008 at 9:17am by oceanz »  

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Re: Rudd Apology Revealed
Reply #8 - Feb 13th, 2008 at 10:15am
 
I put the transcript up here:

http://www.ozpolitic.com/articles/sorry.html

Does anyone know where I can get a copy of the full speech from this morning, or when it will be available? I will update the link with it when I get a chance.



This issue of 'closing the gap' is troubling me. It's fair enough for aborigines that have joined mainstream society. However a lot of aboriginal people in remote communities live there out of rejection of mainstream society. At the very least, it would be more reasonable to compare their living standards with those of immigrants who live similar lifestyles. The only way to clsoe the gap completely would be to get all aboriginal people to adopt our lifestyle. It is more important to give them the choice. While in the past that choice was denied, these days they are given ample opportunity.

The city of Darwin for example is heavily subsidised. Otherwise you couldn't get so many white people to live up there. There are plenty of native people up there living a fairly comfortable lifestyle. My economics lecturer had a friend who wanted to help out one particular group, so he bought them a tinnie and some fishing gear and pots so they could catch stingrays etc, use them as bait and sell the crabs in Darwin. A year or so later he came back and they hadn't done any of this. They were eating stingrays etc and whatever they could catch easily. When he thought about it it made sense. They were only working a few hours a day at most, living on a tropical island. To try to sell crabs would have been a near full time job in conditions that are not exactly conducive to hard labour. Obviously such a lifestyle will also have some disadvantages, but that doesn't mean the choice is not valid.
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« Last Edit: Feb 13th, 2008 at 12:16pm by freediver »  

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deepthought
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Re: Rudd Apology Revealed
Reply #9 - Feb 13th, 2008 at 4:46pm
 
Quote:
DT says

Quote:
See, once you say it's your fault and you intend on "righting the wrongs of the past" you are committing to make it better - how can you do that?  I only know of one way.  Compensation.


Well DT you need to develop an imagination then.




I'm very unimaginative - could you enlighten me please?
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Flood of sorry compo claims 'unlikely'
Reply #10 - Feb 13th, 2008 at 6:52pm
 
http://news.smh.com.au/flood-of-sorry-compo-claims-unlikely/20080213-1s0j.html

Compensation claims are not likely to flood in after the commonwealth apology to the stolen generations, NSW lawyers say.

There has been speculation that the federal apology will pave the way for many new compensation claims.

But Law Society of NSW President Hugh Macken said the right of Indigenous Australians and all Australians to bring compensation claims was the same as it had always been.

"There has been a lot of conjecture and some misinformation in respect to the legal ramifications on this apology," he told reporters.

"Let me simply state very emphatically, this apology will not lead to the floodgates opening or a rash of compensation claims.

"The legal landscape is no different to what it was yesterday or will be tomorrow."

Mr Macken said there had been less than a handful of claims brought since the states apologised more than a decade ago.

He said two states, Tasmania and Victoria, had set up compensation funds, but any federal fund was a matter for the commonwealth.
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Re: Rudd Apology Revealed
Reply #11 - Feb 13th, 2008 at 7:10pm
 
I am totally against this apology. How does saying sorry by someone who did nothing make up for anything that someone else done?

Also, I agree with what Nelson said, something along the lines of it can be argued that what happened wasn't so bad as they were being removed from squalor, just the same as what happens today with white and black kids who are neglected.
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Re: Flood of sorry compo claims 'unlikely'
Reply #12 - Feb 13th, 2008 at 7:17pm
 
freediver wrote on Feb 13th, 2008 at 6:52pm:
http://news.smh.com.au/flood-of-sorry-compo-claims-unlikely/20080213-1s0j.html

Compensation claims are not likely to flood in after the commonwealth apology to the stolen generations, NSW lawyers say.

There has been speculation that the federal apology will pave the way for many new compensation claims.

But Law Society of NSW President Hugh Macken said the right of Indigenous Australians and all Australians to bring compensation claims was the same as it had always been.

"There has been a lot of conjecture and some misinformation in respect to the legal ramifications on this apology," he told reporters.

"Let me simply state very emphatically, this apology will not lead to the floodgates opening or a rash of compensation claims.

"The legal landscape is no different to what it was yesterday or will be tomorrow."

Mr Macken said there had been less than a handful of claims brought since the states apologised more than a decade ago.

He said two states, Tasmania and Victoria, had set up compensation funds, but any federal fund was a matter for the commonwealth.




Ha ha ha ha ha ha.   What Hugh is really saying is call us up for the name of a good class action lawyer.  Ha ha ha ha ha, don't you love lawyer speak.
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deepthought
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Re: Rudd Apology Revealed
Reply #13 - Feb 13th, 2008 at 7:20pm
 
easel wrote on Feb 13th, 2008 at 7:10pm:
I am totally against this apology. How does saying sorry by someone who did nothing make up for anything that someone else done?

Also, I agree with what Nelson said, something along the lines of it can be argued that what happened wasn't so bad as they were being removed from squalor, just the same as what happens today with white and black kids who are neglected.


Perhaps if you and I get together midnight we can apologise for the nuclear testing, the slaughter of sheep on the Upyabum Station and the drinking of metho by some very strange looking people under the Storey Bridge.
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Re: Rudd Apology Revealed
Reply #14 - Feb 13th, 2008 at 8:49pm
 
Quote:
However a lot of aboriginal people in remote communities live there out of rejection of mainstream society. At the very least, it would be more reasonable to compare their living standards with those of immigrants who live similar lifestyles. The only way to clsoe the gap completely would be to get all aboriginal people to adopt our lifestyle. It is more important to give them the choice. While in the past that choice was denied, these days they are given ample opportunity


Good point Freediver. 

In regard to compensation - Australian indigenous people have always been ripped off by their leaders, and ours too, when it comes to compensation, land leases etc.   There would be no point in direct compensation - it would be far better to invest it in teachers, schools and health services.  Rudd's idea of all aboriginal children having to attend pre-school for early education is excellent.  They will also be taught hygiene and health care.  If this can be put into practise and the mortality rate for children under 5 is halved - this is a far better gift than huge sums of money which may be great for the short term - but won't benefit them in the long term.
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