I would like to know what people think ... Should the Prime Minster,
be it Howard or Rudd, issue a formal apology to the Aboriginal people?
If yes - Why? if no - why not?

Would it help? would it in any way change the dreadful life of far too many Aboriginals?
Would it be used to say pay me? give me some money?
NO.
I know Rudd may do it but my answer is NO.
Accountability is a two way street.

Dear Belly,

How sad to have you say - no. An apology from the Prime Minister
may not mean much to you. However, it is a start, and at least an
acknowledgement of a vital part of this country's history. As the late Rob Riley said, "...It's simple, unless you give us back our nationhood, you can never claim your own."

yup

I think it's too late for an apology from Howard to have any value.
Let the next PM do it or somebody who does it freely and with a bit of sincerity.

Remember when John Howard was suggested that the Japanese Government apologise to Australia for incidents that happened during WW2?

Wobbles is right, it's too late for Howard to do it for it to be taken seriously. Mind you, in the remote chance that he's re-elected it would certainly be a symbolic way of extending and cementing his latter day change of heart towards Indigenous people. Maybe in addition to the main apology from the Australian Government on behalf of the Australian nation, he could add a personal one for his 11 years of active neglect by his government of Indigenous people and their interests.

If and when Rudd's elected, it should be one of the first things he does in order to rebuild respect between the Australian State and its Indigenous people. The preamble should also probably go ahead too, and be coordinated with the apology.

The only reason they want an apology is so they can sue the government for ten squillion dollars!

John Howard has personally apologised and I think most Australians have a feeling of sympathy for the Aborigines but no body for a minute believes that we should have to make a universal apology for things that happened in the past.

The best thing the Aborigines can do is stop dwelling in the past and look to the future!

Once again I have to defend the fact I grieve for Australia's first people.
And work for them in my spare time and work time, for free, for the fact I know something about the debate.
And maybe the fact unlike the very left I have an understanding words are not enough.
And that all the wrongs of history are not on one side.
That stolen generation was bad, but often it saved the kids not just stole them, closer review of those dreadful days will show a welfare system out of control.
Whites to , for no other crime than being poor got taken away.
And last just maybe we still today leave kids in homes that are unfit for them , because of fear of being blamed for another stolen generation.
Australia until it enforces accountability from both sides, gives real hope and real jobs, real education , and real homes, is indeed racist.
But until saying sorry is not a request for yet more money I think we should not do so.

Dear, Dear, Belly,

Can I give you a hug?

Basically no. If the Prime Minister ever made a formal apology we might as well pack our bags and leave. This country would become bankrupt with the raft of litigation that would descend upon Parliament house. Ok, I agree in past history, unpleasant attitudes and events were impacted upon the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. But, I am not responsible for this, neither is my Paternal and Maternal Lineage. In fact our family has a proud history of serving its country in war and in peace. Both my brother and I have Served Australia in our various capacities. So are we going to apologise on behalf of our family for the freedom that our grandfathers, and other grandfathers have won for our sakes - NO WAY. I am more interested in reaching out and working together for a more equitable, fair, empowered Australia for all generations, regardless of whether you are black, white, blue or brindle.

I know myself and family cant say sorry for something another persons family did a hundred years ago.
It would be wrong to say sorry because the dead can not tell their side of events.
We need now to treat them the same as the rest of us Aussies.

Move them into housing around Australia- Train them- help them- love them and make them get jobs and education for their kids.
Some will of course stay and run farms.

They is a growing resistance to REFUSE to work with the white fellow on projects.
You have radical extremist muslims seeking out disgruntled aboriginal tribes and people.
I strongly encourage everybody to consider black against white and a united aboriginal Muslim lash back towards us.

Some of the older wiser guys are very concerned about this new age eliment coming from - not all - but enough of the younger ones to be a real concern.
I love aboriginal people - but not all like me or my team.

We need to get in and stop this rot going further.
They certainly DO want an apology to bankrupt the country.

No - We certainly DO NOT need to apoligise.
We do need to enforce some health education and rules.

Ever seen the beautiful homes and cars they simply burn?
I have.
Its reminds me of what happens just a few hours across the creek.
Ever seen what they do to the UN or aid cars over there?

Just because most of us live in cities we should not assume these people except us or even like us.
Many do. The younger ones however are different again.
Mal Bruth is on the right track along with Howard.

YES...... but with qualification. (cf Zahira's point)

The problem with the word 'sorry' is just that....it is simply a word.

How do we know if what is uttered, has substance.. is heart felt, and genuine ?

ZACCHAEUS. Jesus was once passing through Jericho, and there was a crowd.
Zacchaeus, chief tax collector, was touched in his own heart about his wrongdoing..corruption and deceit. He 'collected' a lot more than he was authorized to, and the 'skimming' was for how own benefit.
Jesus, knowing of his condition boldy said to Zacchaeus (who had climbed a tree to make up for his small stature and view Jesus) "Zacchaeus.. I'm wish to stay with you tonight"
He was overjoyed. Without being asked, he said to Jesus:

"Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount."

Jesus response- "Today, salvation has come to this house"

ZACCHAEUS DIDN'T 'SAY'....SORRY. but he "did" it.

Hence our own problem and dilemna. For those of Judao Christian background.. a word is not very much by itself. It needs to be accompanied by action.

But for us to 'give back 4 times what we took'......would clearly result in our own destruction.

Perhaps there is another way of doing this ? Instead of a 'sorry' day.. perhaps a 'Memorial' or 'Recognition' day ? something positive.
"Sorry" would just remind us of something we
a) did not do ourselves.
b) Can do little about. (little, but not 'nothing')

So, as long as the significance of a ONE AND ONLY 'Sorry' day...ceremony...possibly followed up by an annual "recognition" day
and as long as it did not allow for law suits, by virtue of legislation, then I support the idea.

David- In the real world that does ZILCH! to fix the problems with these people.
Action speaks louder and we are taking action now.
God I wish you wouldnt lace every post with the bible.
Its So annoying.
I am one of your supporters David but really! Do we have to have bible quotes with every comment?
Cant you say a few words without quoting the bible.
This is a political forum and if we want to go to Sunday Mass we know where it is.
Not all readers are Christians. Cant you comment to everybody and respect thats the case.
Sorry buddy but I am not in the mood today to read all that stuff.
It wears REAL thin particulally when the low life mongrel church leaders do NOTHING about Cruelty to Godsd creatures.
I love God but HATE Churchy people.
They make me SICK!!

Foxy I have no need of your hug, in fact just maybe I see the issue better than you do.
Have you felt the pain of transporting a youth to court standing by him and talking for him then having him take your wallet on his way out of the car on returning home?
It is not saying sorry we need, but being sorry, both sides.
Sorry that in over 200 years of white Australia we still think the failure of most Aboriginals to progress out of the missions is only our fault.
That GREAT men from within that community who do not want more sit down money are sell outs.
Can we agree some, far too many from within this community are bludging on it?, want only hand out money?
Come with me for a day ,see the great work being done in civil construction by our biggest firms putting Aboriginals in full time training jobs.
Then watch the loaded cars wait around the corner on pay day.
Tell me the problem is only white mans.
Tell me how words not actions can fix it tell me why we wait to take those actions.
If we care enough, insist on accountability and education, spend every dollar it takes we can fix it in a generation two at most.

There seems to be this rhetoric that Aboriginal people want an apology which would enable us to sue the government for money? We dont want your money we want what is ours - this land and for it to be recognised as such. Money will not mend the broken hearts of my people however, recognition, respect, ownership and accountability would go alot further in mending the chasm of racism that has been dealt upon us for well over 200 years. As the wonderful Lilla Watson has said "If you have come here to help me you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us walk together". That pretty much says it all.

It's always amusing to see people saying there's no need to apologise because they haven't personally done anything.

At the same time they'll march on Anzac day, even though they weren't personally there. They'll claim 'we' won the America's Cup, even though they didn't personally participate. 'We' win the Ashes, Olympic medals, Academy awards. 'We' are a great nation with a fabulous history and many wonderful achievements under our belts, but 'we' can't be held responsible for the actions of others. WTF?

As far as litigation is concerned, consider how difficult it is for land claims to actually succeed. Every possible impediment has been put in the way. People have to prove continuous contact with the land in question for generations, despite the fact that government policy removed them from that land, making continual contact impossible.

Stolen children? The latest excuse is to say policy wasn't responsible, instead it was the fault of individuals who did the actual removing. Of course, those individuals are conveniently nowhere to be found.

Treasury regularly releases reports of multi-billion dollar surpluses. If you honestly believe that an apology admitting liability would not come with a cap on liability designed to preserve the common wealth wouldn't happen, you're either dreaming or paranoid.

Black Rainbow.... I'm a bit confused by your comments.

You said:

"We dont want your money we want what is ours - this land and for it to be recognised as such."

Can you please explain how you see this working out in practice ?
If you want the land.. and whites occupy most of it (or at least in the high population centres) do you want us all to go back to Scottland or England (from where many of our ancestors were driven out?
Please be VERY specific in your reply.. I just have no idea what you mean when you say that "we want..what is ours..the land". Do you mean.. "Melbourne" ? should we rent it from you.. go away and never come back ?

Then you said: (quoting)

[But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us walk together". That pretty much says it all.]

Could you please explain how the land being 'yours' provides any 'liberation' for us ?

I really don't understand your thinking.

-Firstly why do you distinguish between Aboriginal people and the rest of us ? Arn't we all 'people' ?
-Do you not realize and agree that if the Whites who actually came here did not...it would have been 'others' ? If not whites..then yellow..Japanese.. it would have been SOMEone....

The Law of the jungle applied in those days... "might is successful", even if it isn't right.

-Do you not realize that ALL OF US are the descendants of SOMEone who was driven out, chased away, had property and land stolen.. had families destroyed, had culture wrecked, had bitter horrific experiences ?

-Why are Aboriginal people so special that they should not recognize OUR past pain also, and share with us in the building of this nation together ?

No apology.Every country has been over-run at some time by another race.
If the government can't apologise for what was and is still happening to statewards,then why should anyone apologise for what happened hundreds of years ago?If everyone pulled their weight to make this a better country and preferential treatment wasn't being given to sections of the community that have done nothing to deserve it,we would all be better off.I am part aboriginal and it makes me sick to my stomach to see people,whatever colour or creed putting out their hands and saying gimme.Work for what you want,accept your life and make it better for yourselves.Don't use the past,either recent or eons ago,as a crutch.What a nation of self pitying,greedy people we have become.As for the stolen generation,it was whites as well as blacks.Half or more would be dead now if we weren't removed from unsatisfactory homes.Maybe we should put the past in the past and get on with the future.

Interested to know if the same people who demand or want our PM to apologise would also back an apology from the Whitlam/Hawke governments for creating ghettos in our cities by hopelessly flawed immigration policies!

Not from me nor mine. My ancestors came here and had a hard time to make a new life. By apologising you take away the meaning of the effort ,the striving, the overcoming of difficulties simply to make a stupid, useless gesture.
It is an inanity designed to stroke egos, nothing more.

Many white Australians care deeply about the injustices done to our
first nation. Just as I also know that in white Australia, there exists an enduring myth of the "millions" of dollars that the Federal & State governments "pour" into Aboriginal welfare. This is the stuff of political and pub wisdom, full of bigotry, and it is false.

A recent nationwide health review disclosed that Aboriginal health care received 25% less government funding per head of population than health care for whites. For every dollar spent per head under the National Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, only 20 cents were spent per head, on Aboriginal people.

Of-course, this is not enough. Nor is it enough to sign 'sorry books' and join solidarity marches across bridges. Nor is it enough to seek
'reconciliation', a problematic word when used against a background of violent occupation and theft. Only justice and a political will can end Australia's enduring disgrace.

The first step is a treaty, a native bill of rights that overrides the states and guarantees land rights and a proper share of resources.
It means regarding Aborigines as both equals and special. Both Canada and the United States have accorded "first nation" status to Indians, recognising them as people who had prior occupation, sovereignty and governance, and have engaged them in true conversation about renegotiating treaties. While neighbouring New Zealand has enacted land and sea rights for the Maori people.

In Australia the Howard Government spends millions of dollars mounting technical arguments in the courts against the same land and sea rights.

In 2001 there was one significant victory, however. The Northern Territory's mandatory Sentencing Act, which sent Aboriginal children to prison for stealing biscuits and which the UN had described as racist, was repealed shortly after the territory's redneck administration was voted out.

Foxy is now being blatantly dishonest. No one in the NT was sentenced to prison for stealing one biscuit. Where I live it takes upwards of 20 offences or more before any action is considered. It is this kind of dishonesty that makes many scoff at suggestions of an apology.

Dear Runner,

Read what I wrote again, - you may get the message (or not).
I used the word - BISCUITS (plural) not biscuit...
And this reference is not one I made up - but from documented researched facts.

On one hand I believe there should be a formal apology made beacause of all of the unethical behaviour that has been displayed towards the Aboriginal citizns of Australia.

But on the other hand I belive there should also be a appology the government from the some aboriginal people. Before you guys all blow you heads off and start calling me racist I will justify my statement.

With living in a 80% part or full blood area I have seen that some aboriginals work great in sosity, but then there are those few who are not greatful of what they are givin.
For example there was government housing for the low income people and after a month of some aboriginal familys moving in they had managed to run the house so horrbly it was deamed condemd and torn down. What happens next? the government builds more housing and the cycle begins again.

To appologise or not to appologise that is the question.
who should appologise to whom ? well, the australian like many other aboriginal people have copped a whack alright, there's no dispute about it. The islanders ? well, not really. Theirs' is a totally different scenario. The ones who are claiming victimisation now are in fact the descendants of the perpetrators whereas the aborigine's forebears have been well & truly displaced. Now, who displaced the aborigines' forebears ? It was the forebears of the many who have either come to this country involuntary or voluntary in later years. So, in actual fact we somehow have to give a posthumous appology & just as somehow get it accepted posthumously. On what grounds could any descendants to either offer or accept an appology. I hear daily about the lack of this'n that in aboriginal communities. These claims always relate to commodities which are produced through effort by using land formerly occupied by aborigines. I believe that all the services extended to the indigenous of Australia more than equal what has been taken from them. Occupying another land is invasion when it's just taken. However, when the inhabitant of that land does not realise the land's potential & eagerly accepts the goods that come from that land by the effort of the new inhabitant then I fail to see any moral obligation to appologise. Have the aborigines themselves appologised to the tribes they used to raid & never gave anything for it?

Let us stop the garden fertilizer about invasion, in truth if the Aboriginal community thinks that we may as well forget progress.
Every country in the world has been invaded.
Lets stop the blind and miss directed cash hand outs.
Lets stop allowing kids to not go to school or not learn while they are there.
Lets stop the house destroying culture, the sexual assaults of children.
Lets ask who will say sorry to those within these community's who are victims of the community?
And can we understand the education of some in this community is so bad they do not understand their actions are wrong?

HOW ABOUT MR HOWARD AND MR RUDD BOTH APOLOGY TO THE ABORIGINALS,AND SPECIALLY THAT OF THE FORGOTTEN AUSTRALIANS,WHO WERE RAPED AND ABUSED IN THE STATES RUN INSTITUTIONS,ORPHANAGES,GIRLS HOMES,BOYS HOMES,REMAND CENTRES,FOSTER HOMES OUT OF HOME CARE,CHURCH HOMES,THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERMENT HAVE BEEN AND STILL ARE COVERING UP THE RAPES AND ABUSE THAT OCCURRED UPON US FORGOTTEN AUSTRALIANS AND WE ARE ALL OF DIFFRENT RACE WETHER BLACK,WHITE,IRISH,EVERY NATIONALITY, WE ARE THE REAL VICTIMS,THAT SUFFERED AT THE HANDS OF PEDOPHILES THAT WORKED FOR THE GOVERMENT OF AUSTRALIA, THE GOVERMENT ARE SWEEPING US ALL UNDER THE CARPET,AS THEY HAVE DONE NOTHING AS TO GIVING US VICTIMS JUSTICE,THE SENATE INQUIRIES THAT WERE DONE IN AUGUST 2004 AND MARCH 2005,WHY IS IT THAT THE GOVERMENT WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE US VICTIMS,THESE ABUSES THAT I TALK ABOUT WERE OCCURRING WHILE LIBERAL HAD POWER AS PRIME MINISTER AND ALSO LABOUR WHEN THEY WERE PRIME MINISTER SO IT IS BOTH SIDES THAT OWE THE REAL APOLOGY TO ALL US VICTIMS AND THAT OF THE ABORIGINALS,THOUGH I MAINLY SPEAK OF MY SUFFERING AS A CHILD THAT WAS RAPED AND ABUSED WHILST IN A INSTITUTION DARUK BOYS HOME,AND I AM NOT ALONE AS TO WHAT WAS SUFFERED AT THE HANDS OF THESE SICK PEDOPHILES,AS IT IS,THERE ARE PEDOPHILES IN EVERY KIND OF JOB AND COMUNITY BUT WE WILL NEVER KNOW WHO THEY ALL ARE OR WHO SOME ARE,YET THEY ARE STILL OUT THERE PREYING ON OUR CHILDREN, DOCS HAS A RESPONSABILTY AS DID THE MINISTERS, OF THE STATES,A JUDGE SAID MY COMPLAINT IS PLAINLY REAL AND TRAGIC PART OF OUR HISTORY ,THEN DISSMISSES THE CASE THROUGH LOOP HOLES THE GOVERMENT HAS,BELEAVE ME I WILL NEVER STOP MY FIGHT FOR JUSTICE,THE GOVERMENT NEEDS TO HOLD THEIR HEAD IN SHAME FOR WHAT WE VICTIMS SUFFERED,THEIR ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO DO NOT KNOW OR CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHAT WE VICTIMS SUFFERED,AND ITS ABOUT TIME FOR BOTH GOVERMENTS TO STAND UP FOR THE FORGOTTEN AUSTRALIANS WE ARE REAL VICTIMS,MAYBE ALL PEOPLE WHO READ THESE STORIES THAT PEOPLE LIKE ME.ASK THE GOVERMENT FOR COPIES OF THE FORGOTTEN AUSTRALIANS REPORT AUGUST 2004 AND MACH 2005,THEY ARE FREE

Should Julius Ceaser have apologised to the people he conquered, should Napoleon Bonaparte or William the conqueror, or Ghenghis Khan or the prophet Mohammed? In a just and fair world of course they should. But they wouldnt have, they probably would have scoffed at the suggestion.
It's not a just and fair world, the men with the biggest guns and muscle still control things; always have and always will. Observe the armed rebels in some of the poorer countries, how they control the area and take what they want because they have the weapons which gives them more muscle than the village men without the weapons.

huffnpuff you do not have to shout posting in caps does not add to your debating point.
I no longer read such posts.
It is a blind trail to talk about invasion, in truth if that is a starting point , if my right as a white Australia is questioned we are a nation close to war.
Fortunately only the cash and carry few think like that.
And far too many who say all men should be treated the same except me I want more.
Some who are the problem not the answer in Aboriginal community's include child rapists.
accountability and education may revel both sides should be shamed at some actions.

Huffnpuff,
I hear you re your lack of justice. I don't for a moment wish to sound lighthearted about it but you are one of many millions of people who copped crap & that is inexcusable. There is no doubt that such experiences leave anyone bitter for the rest of their life. Don't give up on your personal fight but for crying out loud don't expect me to accept blame for what some crap people did to you. I certainly wouldn't like a Prime Minister appologising on my behalf for something I would never agree with & had no part in. I have lived & worked in indigenous communities for nearly 30 years & I have NEVER DONE ANYTHING I should appologise for.

question to indvidule,if you were raped or abused in a state run institution would you not pursue the right for justice.also i was married to an aboriginal in 1983 and those aboriginals were treated well, and living in the white community of newcastleand my son to that marriage is a police officer, belly im not use to the computor lingo as im not all that educated with computors i did not know the meaning when you write in capitals that it means you are yelling and i apoligize to some of you people out their but to the goverment i will yell,any way all my intentions are of getting the goverment of australia to stop the cover up of what had and has happend to us victims of the forgotten australians,i understand that everyone is allowed their own voice to be herd, and as i said before read the senate inquires then you will understand what we went through , punishment does not mean to be raped and abused,and as i feel about anyone touching children those who do it,as far as im concerned they need the death penalty,we all know that their will always be some one out their wanting to prey on our children ,this is why i am so protective of all my children and as for people rubishing the aboriginals you must under stand that their is a minorty that are doing wrong by their own people as in our white race and that of all other races,and the truth is we are living now in a much worser life style of generation people thats like the law of giving a car theif a fine and no record well i got a record for stealing and sent to a boys home to be punished though whilst their two pedophile staff members raped me and abused me over a period of time it is something you try to block from your mind though it is so so so hard to do so some of you out their understand us some don't give a !!

huffnpuff let us start again I am white and past middle age but not in my view old.
I have a lifetime of commitment to better life for Aboriginals, and 2 of the kids I rared each have 3 kids to Aboriginals.
Your life has been hard , your chances of justice from ANY government are small.
Yes even a Rudd government is unlikely to help.
Have no fear about your ability or education, look at my earlier posts hear and see the real depth of my education , even my spell check could not understand me.
I am a social activist from the Labor right, quite willing to help, in cases such as yours you must remember outcomes are the only measure.
Write down your story, leave nothing out, send it to one side of politics, if you get no results send it to the other, complaining that the first did not help.
Offer it to the press all Medea.
But do not tie it to sinking stones, issues that drag it under and out of sight.
Saying sorry if that is what it takes to start making child rapists from within the Aboriginal community accountable is ok.
But it is no answer for community's that want to do nothing to help them selves.
WHO will say sorry to me? for crimes we no longer see as bad my ancestors came here in chains.
Who dares to say I am lessor than any man?
What ever happened to the idea man is one?
I refuse to be judged by anyone for crimes committed by long dead people ,but am aware of crimes committed within these community's that shame those community's.

Huffnpuff,
I am all for seeking justice. as a matter of fact I am very much involved in getting justice for myself from the Qld Labor Government. don't like my chances though.
I did not say that you're not entitled to justice. of course you are, no-one on this forum would state otherwise, even those who oppose for opposing's sake. Where the argument of an appology by a PM is concerned , is where all the flak comes from. How would I react if I were raped or otherwise abused ? Well, being a hetero bloke I wouldn't take to kindly to it. Seriously, I feel sorry for anyone in that predicament white, red, black or whatever. What I wouldn't expect is an appology from people who weren't around when it happened. As a people the aborigines have had a dramatic & often tragic existence since outsider settlement. n.b. not all settlers were white btw. What in your opinion would be the most effective way to bring about recociliation. We know now that money & houses & free education don't cut it & I doubt that an appology would do it either. To many people it is never enough no matter what you do. I would like to see an acknowledgement from an indiginous person that the average taxpayer here really has made a massive contribution to improve the existance of indigenous people in this country. Don't forget that many people who have never done anything to anyone put in a lot of effort to make that contribution. If you know what more can be done please say so. And, if you don't get justice for your experiences why not name the culprits.

to indvitual you say you are seeking justice from qld, so you know our feelings and yes i have named the two pedophiles in court, and not affraid no more of myself but that of my faimly , they suffer just as much as i do by my trying to get justice but what a lot of people dont understand im not doing this just for my self im doing this in the hope that it will open the door to all other forgotten australians , aye i was no angel in my life ,but i didnt have to be punished by being raped by 2 sick pedophiles that work for the goverment of australia, in the daruk boys home ,of which was daruk traing centre ,now the john moroney correctional centre, the goverment is trying and doing their best to cover all this up ,and im sure we are all aware of this by now , the question is which goverment is going to let the truth be known , as i said before these abuses that we victims the forgotten australians suffered were when each goverment body was in power wether it be liberal or labour , they are both responable for we all suffered , ,we are here in the real world now ,and are no longer their political pawns that they can push away ,as we have a voice and it is getting out their i can only hope that we lose no more lives before we get justice ,and have the door opened

huffnpuff, like you I've been shattered by abuse within the family and was raped at Uni. I had no way of taking these guys to court because in those days, unless a girl was purer snow, her case would be dismissed. So I well knew what would happen to me. I had been raped once I wasn't about to get raped all over again - in public this time- in court. Pls note I certainly was not a gad about town type of lady. I had two choices here, either go down the political route, which would go on for years and years and years. Or do something better, prove them wrong. My mother was always telling me I would never amount to nothing, Well, despite a lously F- on a good day report card all though school and via repeating grade 12 I got into uni and completed it. Something she said I would never do. I'm now completing my second degree to help me keep working. My aim is to prove her wrong. I want to prove that despite all the set backs with injury and disability I can and will still achieve. There is not greater revenge on someone, than proving them wrong. I will keep doing that until I stop drawing breath, not only as an example for them, but as an example for others who struggle with the same negativity. So if I may be so bold as to suggest to you. You can win, not through the courts, that only tear you to pieces. part 2 next

huffnpuff Part 2
Trust me I know you want an apology, I'm sorry but you won't get one. I was severly injured by my work in a goverment department - I have never got an apology yet!! But, their apology won't mean anything anyway. It's only when its meant that I'll accept it. Win by reclaiming your life, win by getting those qualifications or training that you have wanted to do. Win by ensuring that your grandkids and even greatgrandkids do well in school, keep pushing them keep using your example in schooling to inspire them to do something for themselves and for their community. Because Huffnpuff, that is how you reclaim your life, how you get back what was taken from you. You can do it. Just believe.

I think sorry should be the first thing Parliment says when a new or old Government sits. Australia will not be bankrupted from litigation how ridiculous that is just fear talking. Canada wasn't bankrupted from saying sorry to their indigenous people. The healing cannot begin until the nation says sorry to its first people. I believe the next step should be to put the TREATY into process. Murri, Koori, Yungala, GNungha
sorry can't remember all names (that in itself shows how little we embrace our indigenous population, we can all name the states and territories can't we) anyway all peoples need to sit down and make agreements with each other so a treaty can be formulated. We are the only nation in the world who does not have a treaty with our indigenous people. Shame Australia. Migaloo woman Darumbal country.

It was many many years ago,many generations ago!
It was a thing most governments did, when I say that I am also talking about all the children who were bought over here on a ship from England and made work and slave in Western australia.
It was not just Aborigines.
When did people in government say sorry for wars of the past?
Move on! Stop living in the past and making people today say sorry for their for fathers errors of judgement at that time.
It is not acceptable today ,but it was back then.
Life is to short to keep pondering on things that happened in the past and those peoples lives cannot be fixed now!
Some of them are probably greatful it happened as perhaps they are educated and have a wonderful life now any way.
So definately No!
Sorry won't fix it and as someone said ,todays society are ready to sue at the drop of a hat.As a tax payer I am not prepared to pay money to such a cause.

Lordy be, but there's some bad Samaritans down this road.

A few points in support of an apology:
1. Sure, all countries have been invaded, but we are in THIS country, and in THIS country the invasion was so bloody and so unfair and so brutal that the aftershocks are still reverberating. It deserves an apology.
2. To apologise is a fine thing; a noble thing. Strong people apologise. Weak people get defensive, and say "it wasn't me", and prevaricate.
3. A formal apology for the profound wrong done to the Aboriginal people is not an admission of *your* family's guilt. How strange to think it. My family are twentieth century NESB immigrants, but we're all in favour of an apology. We would like to say sorry because we have benefited from a country that benefited from breaking the back of the indigenous people.
4. Canada formally apologised to its indigenous people in 1998. There have been legal ramifications. Nor would there be here, unless the government willed it.
5. Not apologising has not worked to improve the lot of Indigenous Australians.
6. It is the right thing to do.

Words are not enough it is well past time our first Australians stopped blaming the past for the reality of their present.
It takes two sides to progress.

The wrongs of the past must first be acknowledged before people can move on. A kind 'right' word does not cost much and saying 'sorry' is the right word.