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.