Gumleaf
February 12th, 2008, 05:19 PM
Wednesday Feb 13 08:52 AEDT
WATCH LIVE: Prime Minister Kevin Rudd apologises to the stolen generations
The apology to Australia's indigenous people should allow healing and the ability to move forward, Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin says.
"I hope, first of all, it will allow people to heal and secondly allow us to move forward and move forward together to address what are terrible levels of disadvantage that so many indigenous Australians still experience," Ms Macklin told ABC radio.
"Let's use the unity of today, a sense of power that comes from so many Australians wanting to be part of it to move forward together."
The 344-word apology, based on extensive consultation with indigenous groups, recognises the "profound grief, suffering and loss" inflicted on generations of indigenous men and women.
Ms Macklin said would be "extremely painful" for many people.
"It's going to be an amazing day today - of sadness for many people, many people are going to find it very, very emotional.
"But (it's) a great sense of joy and taking a step forward because people have been waiting for this apology for so long."
Apologising was not about laying blame, Ms Macklin said.
"We're not trying to lay blame, we are trying to express our sorrow and through that sorrow and through our understanding of the hurt and pain enable people to move forward."
Ms Macklin urged people to use the day to reflect on the nation's history.
"Take a little bit of time to think about our history, the good and the bad," she said.
"This is part of Australia's story so we can together address what are still shocking levels of disadvantage."
The apology honours Australia's Aborigines as "the oldest continuing cultures in human history" and uses the word "sorry" three times.
Ms Macklin said the words were those of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.
She said Mr Rudd had spent a lot of time listening to the indigenous community and the stories of members of the stolen generations.
"I think it really enabled the prime minister to get a sense of the dimension of what he was doing and to be able to get that emotion into the words that he has crafted."
Indigenous leaders have called on the government to provide compensation to members of the stolen generation after the apology.
But Ms Macklin said the government had made its position clear on compensation.
"We're not going down the path of a national compensation fund in association with the apology.
"What we think is important, so that we can move forward ... is to make sure we have the commitment to produce the health services that are critical."
©AAP 2008
WATCH LIVE: Prime Minister Kevin Rudd apologises to the stolen generations
The apology to Australia's indigenous people should allow healing and the ability to move forward, Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin says.
"I hope, first of all, it will allow people to heal and secondly allow us to move forward and move forward together to address what are terrible levels of disadvantage that so many indigenous Australians still experience," Ms Macklin told ABC radio.
"Let's use the unity of today, a sense of power that comes from so many Australians wanting to be part of it to move forward together."
The 344-word apology, based on extensive consultation with indigenous groups, recognises the "profound grief, suffering and loss" inflicted on generations of indigenous men and women.
Ms Macklin said would be "extremely painful" for many people.
"It's going to be an amazing day today - of sadness for many people, many people are going to find it very, very emotional.
"But (it's) a great sense of joy and taking a step forward because people have been waiting for this apology for so long."
Apologising was not about laying blame, Ms Macklin said.
"We're not trying to lay blame, we are trying to express our sorrow and through that sorrow and through our understanding of the hurt and pain enable people to move forward."
Ms Macklin urged people to use the day to reflect on the nation's history.
"Take a little bit of time to think about our history, the good and the bad," she said.
"This is part of Australia's story so we can together address what are still shocking levels of disadvantage."
The apology honours Australia's Aborigines as "the oldest continuing cultures in human history" and uses the word "sorry" three times.
Ms Macklin said the words were those of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.
She said Mr Rudd had spent a lot of time listening to the indigenous community and the stories of members of the stolen generations.
"I think it really enabled the prime minister to get a sense of the dimension of what he was doing and to be able to get that emotion into the words that he has crafted."
Indigenous leaders have called on the government to provide compensation to members of the stolen generation after the apology.
But Ms Macklin said the government had made its position clear on compensation.
"We're not going down the path of a national compensation fund in association with the apology.
"What we think is important, so that we can move forward ... is to make sure we have the commitment to produce the health services that are critical."
©AAP 2008