Ok, ok, we all know what was done to aboriginal children all those years ago. I agree it was appalling and so very wrong to assume that their parents could not care for them because they were not white.

But whilst I agree that it is terrible, the idea that some politician somewhere in some office who has never met me and doesn't know me or my family, assumes to know what is in my mind and heart and will therefore apologize to people who I don't know for something that I was not responsible for on my behalf makes me irate.

I wasn't alive when all these things happened. I don't know anyone who was! As far as I am aware, my family and ancestors did not take part in these proceedings. So why must someone apologize on my behalf for something I had no part in?

And worse still is the idea that someone believes it's his duty to apologize on behalf of my children! How rude can you get! If my children feel the need to say the "s" word, surely they should have the right and responsibility to do that on their own behalf.

Dear Kevvy, please take note - IF YOU ARE DEAD SET ON MAKING THIS APOLOGY, PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOU NOTE THAT I DO NOT WISH TO APOLOGIZE FOR SOMETHING THAT I HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH!

I have spoken to my children about this and they all voiced the opinion. They have nothing to apologize for, since they weren't even imagined when this all took place. Why make the next generation of Australians responsible for the misdeeds of a century ago?

Will someone in a century's time look back and apologize to my descendents for forcing us to submit to this ludicrous thing? Methinks not.

So I for one do not support the idea of a national apology - a national apology should have the backing of the nation, and I'm pretty certain that there are at least ten people in this nation that don't agree with this thing.

Past wrongs have been admitted by countries around the world in recent years.

* The US government formally apologised to 80,000 Japanese-Americans
interned during World War II.

* In 1998 the Canadian government issued a Statement of Reconciliation to its indigenous people.

* The British government has said sorry to the Irish for failing to help those who suffered during the potato famine.

* Germany has apologised to Jews for the Holocaust.

* Former colonial power Germany has apologised to African states that were victims of slavery and colonial exploitation (some 12 million slaves were shipped, locked and chained, from Africa in the 400 years of human trafficking until the 19th century).

Saying sorry is a sign of maturity, of a willingness to face mistakes that caused suffering. It heals divisions between people, shows a deeping understanding of the life of a nation and reflects humility and honesty.

The acknowledgement of guilt is not to be confused with personal guilt. Rather, it acknowledges a historical responsibility.

In the case of indigenous Australians, many of whom lost family, culture and tribe, it helps to soothe the anger and frustration of those who feel affected.

The first Australians, until recently were never included in this country's history books. Their extraordinary civilisation and their oneness with an ancient land were never taught as a source of national pride. And their inclusion, still to be achieved, remains the nation's key to itself.

As the late Aboriginal leader Rob Riley, an unforgettable man with a broad, wry smile, thick black beard and horn-rimmed glasses. Eloquent and witty, who spoke hard truths with a gentle voice, said:

"But, it's simple. Unless you give us back our nationhood, you can never claim your own."

The PM won't be apologising on behalf of the people of Australia, he'll be apologising on behalf on the parliament of Australia. This is to emphasise that *you* were not responsible for the mistreatment of Indigenous Australians, katheedavis, but former parliaments.

I find that news sources, such as the ABC or news.com.au, can really help sort out these little misunderstandings.

Beautiful post, Foxy.

Some people haven't a clue what this is all about ... and are teaching the next generation? Very sad.

Having lived with stone age people for a considerable length of time, I don't see anything extraordinary about the stone age or its limited mentality of tribal rivalries, payback, wife-beating and assorted other extremely common human traits. Sorry. I eagerly await the Italian government saying sorry for their country's invasion and genocide of Celtic Britain, Germany saying sorry for their invasion and genocide of my Romano-Celtic ancestors, Scandinavia saying sorry for their invasion, rape and murder of my Anglosaxon-Romano-Celtic ancestors, the French saying sorry for William the Conqueror's invasion and mass murder of my Viking-Anglosaxon-Romano-Celtic ancestors, the English for their abuse of my Irish and Scottish ancestors, and on behalf of all Celtic tribes, Subtribes and Clans of the Celtic people, the Chinese giving back Western China including the Taklakman Desert to the Celtic people whose ancestors were there 3000 years ago and whose descendents are now forced to say, "Sorry, but we are Chinese now". Oh, and Australia needs to say sorry to my wife and her relatives for its eager complicity in the genocidal (3 million dead) American invasion and terror-bombing of Vietnam, for its complicity in spraying Agent Orange on the place and in destroying her house with a bomb. On the face of it, the aborigines have not had too bad a time, albeit many things happened that shouldn't have. Sorry to be politically incorrect.