WE APOLOGIES ESPECIALLY FOR THE REMOVAL OF ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER CHILDREN FROM THEIR FAMILIES, THEIR COMMUNITIES AND T

AUSTRALIA……….WE ARE SORRY
WE FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF THE APOLOGY FROM KEVIN RUDD
THE AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER, TO THE COUNTRY’S ABORIGINES
TODAY WE HONOUR THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OF THE LAND, THE OLDEST CONTINUING CULTURES IN HUMAN HISTORY.
WE REFLECT IN PARTICULAR ON THE MISTREATMENT OF THOSE WHO WERE STOLEN GENERATIONS-THIS BLEMISHED CHAPTER IN OUR NATIONS, HISTORY.
THE TIME HAS NOW COME FOR THE NATION TO TURN A NESW PAGE IN AUSTRALIA HISTORY BY RIGHTING THE WRONGS OF THE PAST AND SO MOVING FORWARD WITH CONFIDENCE TO THE FUTURE.
WE APOLOGIES FOR THE LAWS AND POLICIES OF SUCCESSIVE PARLIAMENTS AND GOVERNMENTS THAT HAVE INFLICTED PROFOUND GRIEF, SUFFERING AND LOSS ON THESE OUR FELLOW AUSTRALIANS.
WE APOLOGIES 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 THEES 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,
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 AUSTRALASIAN, INDIGENOUS AND NON-INDIGENOUS, TO CLOSED THE GAP THAT LIES BETWEEN US IN THE EXPECTANCY, EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY.
A FUTURE WHERE WE EMBRACE THE POSSIBILITY OF NEW SOLUTIONS TO ENDURING, PROBLEMS WHERE OLD APPROACHES HAVE FAILED.
A 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.