What an absolute pity today that Julia Gillard's "Forced Adoption Apology" speech to the tens of thousands of Australians who were affected by forced adoption practices, was over-shadowed by the sudden urgency by Simon Crean to call for a leadership spill.

Mr. Crean may have done us all a favour in one way, by getting Kevin Rudd to announce he will not be challenging the leadership of Julia Gillard, thus ending this speculation.

However, I really think that the solemn, heart-felt speech by Julia Gillard in the Great Hall of Parliament House today, should have taken precedence over the political intrigues of Labor. I trust her important apology is a significant step in the healing process to those affected by forced adoptions, and is not lost in the mire of politics from all sides of the political divide.

Taurus

Come on Taurus, the only thing heart felt by Gillard was the chance of loosing the keys to the lodge.

Remember the quote, "why give the pensioners a rise, they don't vote for us".

Anything bad enough to get through that tough hide, would make any 6 other people flee the country.

Dear Hasbeen,

"why give the pensioners a rise, they don't vote for us".

I think politicians better start catering to the whims of seniors. Seniors' numbers are growing exponently and will soon be a large minority with lots of political clout if they want to use their strength of numbers to get things from the government. They could probably even form their own Seniors Party!

Apparently over 65s make up one third of the population in Japan. Just imagine how important their votes could be. Does anyone know if over 65s are allowed the vote in Japan?

Gillard's adoption speech is just a ploy to try and shore up votes from the anti-misogynists. She should be embarrassed for making it look so obvious! Not standing against her yesterday was Rudd's way of telling her "You made your bed, now lie in it!"

Hasbeen is right, if anyone believes the PM was sincere then I have some shares in a harbour bridge going cheap. The only time she does not lie is when her mouth is shut.

Like most people, I have the remote handy when the news is on and even if she looks like coming on I mute the thing, because I cannot stand her lies and spin. Only after she is gone do I turn the sound back on.

Do not be fooled into thinking the PM means what she says.A holow apology is no apology. Not worth spit.

Thousands of unwed mothers were forced by
government policies and practices to give up their
babies for adoption over several decades. This
forced the separation of mothers from their babies
which to many created a life-long legacy of pain
and suffering.

Many people heard the PM's apology and responded
with a standing ovation. Nobody doubted the PM's
sincerity. It's only a shame that this did not
get the media coverage that it so rightly deserved.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/mar/21/julia-gillard-apologises-forced-adoptions

Four Corners report "Given or Taken" [2012]

http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/stories/2012/02/23/3438175.htm

Those were the times, that was the mind-set.

This is now, this is OUR mind-set.

Until about 1970, no country in the world paid single mothers' benefit: everywhere in the world, and at all times up until then, it was assumed that babies born to an unwed mother were either supported by her family (rarely), by his family (extremely rarely), or were put in homes, hopefully to be adopted out. Or of course, knocked on the head.

Avoiding this stigma was (and stil is) the major reason for keeping young girls cooped up, working on gheir Glory Boxes or whatever, under the watchful eye of parents, big brothers and uncles. After all, it's generally more difficult to marry off damaged goods.

And that's how it's been, right or wrong, for all of time except just the last forty years.

We do things differently now. So why the hell should we apologise for what other people did, and had done for yonks, at a different time ?

One thing that disgusts me, Lexi, about apologies, is that it gives power to the apologer, to indulge his/her goodness, to show his or her superiority to past generations, and to benevolently give something to the apologee. After all, the power to give entails the power to withhold, and even to take.

Makes me puke.

Joe