Aussies say Sorry

tbh · 12-02-2008 04:46PM #1

Today the Australian parliament officially apologised for the treatment of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the past. What do you think? Personally, I think it's a magnificent, courageous step that can only do good. Should the UK government apologise for colonial events? Should there be a time-limit for apologies? Should compensation be paid? Should I have posted in humanities?

kevin rudd wrote:

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.

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

togster · 12-02-2008 05:00PM

tbh wrote: »

What do you think?

I think its good

tbh wrote: »

Should the UK government apologise for colonial events?

No

tbh wrote: »

Should there be a time-limit for apologies?

yes

tbh wrote: »

Should I have posted in humanities?

I think you know the answer to that already

monkeyfudge · 12-02-2008 05:00PM

Can they apologise for Crocodile Dundee 2 now?

tbh · 12-02-2008 05:04PM

and budgie smugglers :mad:

Rob_l · 12-02-2008 05:04PM

Didn't blair already apologise for english involvement in the slave trade

Voodu Child · 12-02-2008 05:09PM

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

Great country me arse

What's Australia ever done?

Rob_l · 12-02-2008 05:09PM

voodoo_child wrote: »

Great country me arse What's Australia ever done?

They gave us home and away what more do you want?

monkeyfudge · 12-02-2008 05:13PM

voodoo_child wrote: »

Great country me arse What's Australia ever done?

There was that BBQ on the moon.

super_furry · 12-02-2008 05:13PM

voodoo_child wrote: »

Great country me arse What's Australia ever done?

Amen. Australia's like America's slightly slow and dimwitted younger cousin. And why is it that every single Australian you meet outside the country does nothing but complain about how crap wherever they happen to be is, and how great Australia is.

Dennis the Stone · 12-02-2008 05:19PM

It's great when people apologise. Like the Catholic Church and the child abuse, it's all forgotten now. Good on them. It moves me to tears how brave the country is for managing to say sorry for the rape and frigging of a whole race

Dinter · 12-02-2008 05:48PM

Rob_l wrote: »

Didn't blair already apologise for english involvement in the slave trade

And the Irish Famine.

Fratton Fred · 12-02-2008 06:06PM

Jesus, this could end with one half of the world apologising to the other half.

Throughout history pretty much every country on this planet has either shafted, or been shafted by, another.

And before everyone gets all self righteous, The Irish did plenty of shafting, they just did it as part of the British Empire.

Fratton Fred · 12-02-2008 06:08PM

Dinter wrote: »

And the Irish Famine.

which, judging by the number of people who didn't know that, shows just what a waste of time it is.

bill_ashmount · 12-02-2008 06:13PM

Fratton Fred wrote: »

Jesus, this could end with one half of the world apologising to the other half.

Throughout history pretty much every country on this planet has either shafted, or been shafted by, another.

And before everyone gets all self righteous, The Irish did plenty of shafting, they just did it as part of the British Empire.

Do you ever get bored of trapsing around this website blaming everyone else for what the British did??? It's getting boring.

You remind me of a couple of other English people I met recently who said the English should be thanked for Slavery because they helped bring the Africans to America.

Change the record.

Fratton Fred · 12-02-2008 06:28PM

bill_ashmount wrote: »

Do you ever get bored of trapsing around this website blaming everyone else for what the British did??? It's getting boring.

You remind me of a couple of other English people I met recently who said the English should be thanked for Slavery because they helped bring the Africans to America.

Change the record.

No.

Anyway, it was the Scots not the English:D

Seriously though, where does it end everyone in the world has shafted someone else over the last couple of thousand years.

bill_ashmount · 12-02-2008 06:34PM

Fratton Fred wrote: »

No.

Anyway, it was the Scots not the English:D

Seriously though, where does it end everyone in the world has shafted someone else over the last couple of thousand years.

It never ends, we are all animals.

Dinter · 12-02-2008 06:36PM

bill_ashmount wrote: »

You remind me of a couple of other English people I met recently who said the English should be thanked for Slavery because they helped bring the Africans to America.

Hilarious. Like they were doing a favour of some kind.

Pherekydes · 12-02-2008 06:37PM

tbh tbh, I think it's a little late and a little forced. It doesn't strike me as being sincere.

However, it's all down to the Aboriginal peoples and how they perceive it.

Dinter · 12-02-2008 06:42PM

Actually, I wonder am I entitled to reparations from the English because, well, basically because I'm Irish.

It's only fair.

RobertFoster · 12-02-2008 07:41PM

voodoo_child wrote: »

Great country me arse What's Australia ever done?

Rotary washing line.

Voodu Child · 12-02-2008 08:10PM

I take it all back:

Some amazing Australian achievements include a 'Dingo fence', a man who walked 2000km, and the Larrimah pub, which was built in only one weekend!

Feckin' Aussies :rolleyes:

daiixi · 12-02-2008 09:32PM

voodoo_child wrote: »

and the Larrimah pub,

I'm sure that I've had a lemonade there.. well I was only 11

ball ox · 12-02-2008 09:36PM

voodoo_child wrote: »

Great country me arse What's Australia ever done?

well there's the aquaduct......
and the sanitation.....
the roads....

Fratton Fred · 12-02-2008 09:40PM

ball ox wrote: »

well there's the aquaduct......
and the sanitation.....
the roads....

Aussies being linked with sanitation, now there's a first

Agamemnon · 12-02-2008 10:01PM

voodoo_child wrote: »

Great country me arse What's Australia ever done?

Natalie Imbruglia, Kylie Minogue, Holly Valance, Emilie de Ravin, Danii Minogue, Isla Fisher, Rachel Friend, Greta Scacchi, Delta Goodrem, Emma Harrison, Nicole Kidman, Elle Macpherson, Melissa George, Melissa Tkautz and this babe called Hope I scored with once. And they're just the ones I've pleasured myself to in the last half hour. Oh God, I've gone blind in one eye...

Voodu Child · 12-02-2008 10:11PM

agamemnon wrote: »

Natalie Imbruglia, Kylie Minogue, Holly Valance, Emilie de Ravin, Danii Minogue, Isla Fisher, Rachel Friend, Greta Scacchi, Delta Goodrem, Emma Harrison, Nicole Kidman, Elle Macpherson, Melissa George, Melissa Tkautz and this babe called Hope I scored with once. And they're just the ones I've pleasured myself to in the last half hour. Oh God, I've gone blind in one eye...

Nicole Kidman has a face like a granny, Delta Goodrem is going out with the fat lad from Boyzone, and Elle Macpherson has no boobs :mad:

Sinfonia · 12-02-2008 10:16PM

I think it is racist. I think it is history.

ejmaztec · 12-02-2008 11:00PM

Are they also apologising for preventing Aborigines getting some alcohol down their necks?

Poor buggers won't even be allowed to have a celebratory drink!

Xavi6 · 12-02-2008 11:19PM

I'm sick to the teeth of this story. The Abos themselves don't really give a f*ck about the apology, all they want is more money and benefits. It's a crock of sh1t really.

WhiteWashMan · 12-02-2008 11:26PM

better late than never,and a brave stand by the parliment i think.

Amen. Australia's like America's slightly slow and dimwitted younger cousin. And why is it that every single Australian you meet outside the country does nothing but complain about how crap wherever they happen to be is, and how great Australia is.

yeah, coz its not like every irish person complains about how crap ireland is while they live in ireland, eh?
its not the fault of australians that they like their own country the best.

jesus, jingoism is ok for the irish, but begrudgery on anyone else who happens to like their own.

WhiteWashMan · 12-02-2008 11:29PM

Xavi6 wrote: »

I'm sick to the teeth of this story. The Abos themselves don't really give a f*ck about the apology, all they want is more money and benefits. It's a crock of sh1t really.

to be fair, there are some people that still feel strongly about it.

while it means nothing to you or i, or most of the world in general, do you not think that if it makes even a single person feel better, then its worth it?

i mean, there are jews in america who are still looking for apologies over the nazi concentration camps. is it a crock of siht for them as well? are you or i qualified enough to belittle something that means so much for those people?

Aussies say Sorry

Comments