seeing that there is already a national sorry day the 26th of May this reached all the way to the UK can someone please explain to me what the aboriginal and torres straight people were seeking as an ultimate goal for an apology on a government level.was it to heal on a personal level was it acknowledgement from the government or the people.if this is what it takes to help heal our country then i am all for it.but it seems there is only the big fat stain of monetary compensation.my ancestors were taken from their country thrown on a boat and dragged halfway across the world and through their labour built farms and towns.i feel that what happened is appalling to say the least but from where i stand this is going to be just another tax for the middle class white man to bear.correct me if i am wrong

The full transcript of both speeches:

http://www.ozpolitic.com/articles/sorry.html

You make your point Graham, but my view differs, not my party right or wrong but true pride true hope.
Yesterday was a day that should have taken place years ago.
It was not the finish just the start.
I do not Dennie some removed children are not stolen , yesterday was not the day to highlight that.
Tell me I am wrong in saying Brendan Nelson did not speak well, yes he twice highlighted issue we can not hide from.
But why has it been the ALPs job to bring this day about?
My tongue in cheek reminder that some think I am racist or at least red neck will again be proved in the next few days .
I intend without backing down from my joy at the events of yesterday to remind some both sides have things to be sorry about.
I just can not bring my self to believe some can not see these folk had no rights as Australians such a short time ago .
And that we should not be both sorry and ashamed?
I will not be around in 20 years but know we will see Kevin Rudd kept his word this country will never forget its past but we will get a better future for our first people.

one must laugh at this.

Rudd apologises but two days before a child was taken from the tent embassy.

Now was this child stolen, well if we look at how the spin has been created yes..

So what do we have rudd taking with one hand and lying and speaking with forked tongue in the other.

Well done freediver for posting the site where both speeches are. I see Ironmaidens points though and it was mentioned on the tv this morning how the speech from Rudd could be used as a stepping stone in the courts for monetary compensation. A minimum figure mentioned was about 50 billion dollars, all funded by a national "sorry" tax. Would Aboriginals still receive money from other funds and sources such as the money given to the Aboriginal Benefits Account or would the government still fund such things as agroforestry where Aboriginal communities receive multiple sources of funds from an industry provided to them by the government. Applicants to the Aboriginal Benefits Foundation can receive $500 to $5000 grants to promote artistic or community projects. There are of course many more benefits offered and received by Aboriginals and their communities. Another example are the housing projects built by the Australian army at the request of Aboriginal communities, when, once built they were destroyed by these communities and demanded they be rebuilt. Would this be stopped once Aboriginals are compensated?
Perhaps for permitting the Aboriginal community to become dependant on government handouts and benefits, we as a nation should be sorry.

At this point the thread stalled so many do after such a post in fact it ends most threads.
Like the garden hose kinked around a kids toy it stops flowing.
But it has much to give yet I often think why do we not get the kink out and continue.
I think this is not the place to highlight real concerns about todays Aboriginals.
Nore is it the place to talk about compensation, in fact no place would be for me.
I truly with all my heart and brain think Brendan Nelson too fell into the trap of not understanding this historic event.
We can if you wish debate side issues like saying sorry we exist, not me, not here, not now.
White man even hunted and killed these people, we said sorry we did what a nation should do, often we spoke for other people long dead but we did it.
I confer no sainthood on Aboriginals but while willing to debate other issues in other places am still proud and electrified by this country's start to a better life an accountable educated life for them.
I am proud because we said sorry.