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Stolen Generation & "Sorry"

quote:

PRIME Minister Kevin Rudd said the Government will apologise to indigenous Australia's stolen generations when parliament resumes next month, but will not establish a compensation fund. Mr Rudd said his campaign promise would be realised during the parliament's first sitting, but did not give a date for the formal apology. He said the apology was necessary because long-standing problems plaguing indigenous communities could not be addressed until it was made. "The intention is to build this bridge of respect between indigenous and non-indigenous Australia," Mr Rudd told Channel 7. "(Then) we can get on with the business of closing the gap in terms of life expectancy, education levels and health levels between indigenous and non-indigenous communities." He reiterated a promise that no compensation fund would be established following the apology. "We will not be establishing any compensation funds," Mr Rudd said. He also said individual Australians have the right to oppose the move, saying the apology was not coming from the non-indigenous citizens. "We'll be making it clear that we'll be speaking in the government's name," he said. "The judgment I have made is ... let's get this symbolic act of apology right and then let's move on together. "Both symbols and substance are important - that's the truth of it."

Gets my support. An apology from the government for previous policy failures, not an apology from the rest of us, no compensation.

I think that's a nice middle-road position for big kev to be taking. hopefully this can end the whinging from both sides.

I can support that. I didn't like the fact that people wanted all of us to apologise as I have nothing to apologise for but a middle ground is good as I recognise that there are problems.

Agreed.. think it is a nice way of apologising for something that the majority of us have had no part in, however we need to acknowledge and recognise that it did happen.

Well done Mr Rudd...

Good thing it'll ONLY be an apology and only words. Lol to whoever realises that liability has been established and they start on a class action for the rest of them.

Agreed, apology is long over due and warrented. But its more a 'we recognise that yes this did occur and we are sorry for it happening' not a direct acceptance of responsibility which it shouldn't be because as its been said its not the current people in office's fault.

Indigenous people, especially the elders that continually bring the issue up and demand compensation and say sorry is not enough, need to move on (not forget, but move on) for the sake of the younger generations coming through if any forward progress is to made

They should get compensated.

They deserve MUCH much much more!

Imagine being taken away from your family at a young age, losing part of your identity.....who knows what else......abuse-psychological & emotional & physical, witnessing family members die or getting raped!

One can simply not forget that, especially if your own government cant fess up & acknowledge THAT IT DID INDEED HAPPEN!

This is Australia's history too, not just the Captain Cook/convict side of things!
It needs to be addressed & shouldve been so a long time ago.

quote:

Originally posted by MiSSyM They should get compensated. They deserve MUCH much much more!

the problem with that is how do you justify taxing today's australians for the crimes commited by other people? its a hard sell.

quote:

Originally posted by pkcRAISTLIN the problem with that is how do you justify taxing today's australians for the crimes commited by other people? its a hard sell.

By educating today's Australian's on the disparities between Aborigines and non-Aborigines in todays legal system. In many respects Indigenous Australians are the typical profile of a conquered and colonised people. They only count for 2 per cent of the population, and are an impoverished minority.

Further:
- The life expectancy of Aboriginal people is 20-21 years less than the general population.
- Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders are more than four times as likely to die as non-Aboriginal people if less than 30, and seven times more likely to die (if over 30).
- 13.6 per cent of Indigenous people have tertiary degrees, compared with 34.4 per cent of all Australians.
- The unemployment rate is 22.7 per cent for Indigenous people, compared with 9.2 percent for the general population.
- 30.8 per cent of Indigenous households owned or were purchasing their lands, compared with 70 per cent of all Australians.

These are just some of the differences between Aborigines and non-Aborigines. Some of these issues are far greater than why some people in Australia receive compensatory funds due to a form of 'hardship' that they endure. For example, when a single mother gets an extra few hundred a month for their child, no one decides to protest against it because there is and understanding throughout society of what is involved with that. Same goes with a disability or a victims of war fund.

Just because the stolen generation was done many decades ago, it doesn't mean that the Australian government should not apologise for what happened in the past. In doing so they are admitting fault in the Australian government system as a legal body where a wrong has been committed in the past and although it has not continued, there is a strong presence of that wrong in our society. If no fault was admitted, there would never be change and without change, well, I don't have to explain that one..

its a great thing, go kevin

ANARKY WELL SAID!

+ 1 and so much more........I could go on forvever about this topic.

lol pkc, just like the German government are still paying compo to Holocaust survivor/family victims, Im sure something 'could' be arranged!

But sad to say I doubt it will ever ever happen.

quote:

Originally posted by pkcRAISTLIN the problem with that is how do you justify taxing today's australians for the crimes commited by other people? its a hard sell.

Exactly the same way my taxes pay for some rapist to sit in a jail cell or to appeal their sentence.

I'd much rather my money go to the aboriginals than some gang rapist who cares nothing for the morals of this society.

That being said, I fkn love Kevin Rudd and its about bloody time.

quote:

Originally posted by charlee That being said, I fkn love Kevin Rudd and its about bloody time.

+1.. love the khunt

Anarky, how bout some change in mentality, thats change, a pay cheque and an apology isnt change, thats just a fkn cop out.

quote:

Originally posted by charlee Exactly the same way my taxes pay for some rapist to sit in a jail cell or to appeal their sentence. I'd much rather my money go to the aboriginals than some gang rapist who cares nothing for the morals of this society. That being said, I fkn love Kevin Rudd and its about bloody time.

what there are no high profile abo gang rapists? especially the **** that gets away with it!!!

quote:

Originally posted by Paulie Anarky, how bout some change in mentality, thats change, a pay cheque and an apology isnt change, thats just a fkn cop out.

What? The first thing I said was that people needed to be educated on the conditions of the Aborigines...

A pay cheque and apology is like paying child support. It's something you've done in the past and you have to pay for it until there is a consensus that there has been some resolve.

shut the fuk up paulie you tightass

quote:

Originally posted by Dr P what there are no high profile abo gang rapists? especially the **** that gets away with it!!!

You are missing the point completely

Saying that using tax payers money for compensation isnt fair doesnt make sense. We compensate people who dont have jobs or are in need all the time. We are suing each other left, right and centre. You wanna be paid for falling over in a restaurant? How about for having your family kidnapped, raped and murdered?

I dont believe that throwing money at the issue will solve it, but it's about time our Federal Government became sreiously committed to re-establishing a relationship with the Aboriginal Community.

Lub u all

well said charlee.. where'd the brains come from? trade in ya boobs? lubb choo

quote:

Originally posted by JayseP well said charlee.. where'd the brains come from? trade in ya boobs? lubb choo

I listen to Public Enemy and watch Spike Lee movies.

Knowledge is power.

quote:

Originally posted by charlee I dont believe that throwing money at the issue will solve it, but it's about time our Federal Government became seriously committed to re-establishing a relationship with the Aboriginal Community.

I agree Charlee, which is exactly why compensation shouldn't even enter the discussion because money is the most superficial thing you can establish any relationship around.

The more this issue gets poisoned and distorted by ego, the more difficult it will be for everyone to find some common ground to move forward from. I think there should be an apology made, because mistakes were made. In acknowledging these mistakes we ultimately highlight what we have learnt and how far we have come as a nation over the last 200 years–and how much further we can go together over the next 200 years (if we're not under water by then )

Maybe if the Government pledged more money (and bodies) to programs that assist the communites instead of paying out sums of cash. Is that was is proposed? Just lump sums of money? I actually havent looked into the issue of compensation in great depth to know what is being planned.

I dont think that sums of cash is a good idea but then again, who am I to say what is right for these people? Thats what got us here in the first place.

Coincidentally,I just returned from William Rickett's Sanctuary at Mt Dandenong after checking out the amazing carvings of Aboriginal people. It is such a beautiful place

Kevin Rudd has pretty much ruled out any compensation, hence all the talk about the rights and wrongs of it at the moment.

Previous governments have provided large amounts of financial support to aboriginal communities, however i don't think you'll find anyone disagreeing with the fact that such support has been ill targeted and mis-managed, and really hasn't achieved that much.

But if you are of aboriginal decent you have more opportunity to claim payments from the govt than any other Australian.

To the point in filling out the registration of my son I considered ticking the box that he was from Abo/Torres decent.

This can be done as the "officials" are not allowed to ask you to prove it!

quote:

Originally posted by Dr P But if you are of aboriginal decent you have more opportunity to claim payments from the govt than any other Australian. To the point in filling out the registration of my son I considered ticking the box that he was from Abo/Torres decent. This can be done as the "officials" are not allowed to ask you to prove it!

Gee I wish I was an aboriginal then! Their life sounds so easy!!

quote:

Originally posted by charlee You are missing the point completely Saying that using tax payers money for compensation isnt fair doesnt make sense. We compensate people who dont have jobs or are in need all the time. We are suing each other left, right and centre. You wanna be paid for falling over in a restaurant? How about for having your family kidnapped, raped and murdered? I dont believe that throwing money at the issue will solve it, but it's about time our Federal Government became sreiously committed to re-establishing a relationship with the Aboriginal Community. Lub u all

+1

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