Full text of Rudd's sorry speech

The time has now come for the nation to turn a new page in Australia's history by righting the wrongs of the past and so moving forward with confidence to the future.

We apologise for the laws and policies of successive Parliaments and governments that have inflicted profound grief, suffering and loss on these our fellow Australians.

We apologise especially for the removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families, their communities and their country.

For the pain, suffering and hurt of these Stolen Generations, their descendants and for their families left behind, we say sorry.

To the mothers and the fathers, the brothers and the sisters, for the breaking up of families and communities, we say sorry.

And for the indignity and degradation thus inflicted on a proud people and a proud culture, we say sorry.

We the Parliament of Australia respectfully request that this apology be received in the spirit in which it is offered as part of the healing of the nation.

For the future we take heart; resolving that this new page in the history of our great continent can now be written.

We today take this first step by acknowledging the past and laying claim to a future that embraces all Australians.

A future where this Parliament resolves that the injustices of the past must never, never happen again.

A future where we harness the determination of all Australians, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, to close the gap that lies between us in life expectancy, educational achievement and economic opportunity.

A future where we embrace the possibility of new solutions to enduring problems where old approaches have failed.

A future based on mutual respect, mutual resolve and mutual responsibility.

A future where all Australians, whatever their origins, are truly equal partners, with equal opportunities and with an equal stake in shaping the next chapter in the history of this great country, Australia."

MESSENGER

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User comments

We can debate forever on whether it was appropriate or relevant that today's "Sorry" speech take place. To me though, if it eases some pain, if it helps to heal wounds - then why not? At the end of the day, actions speak louder than words. I look forward to an Australia where everyone is genuinely treated equally, and has the same opportunities afforded them. I see today as one step forward in a long

We apologise for not charging you rent on any lands when white people have to pay. We apologise for giving you interest free loans. We apologise for developing oil wells and minerals, including gold and diamonds which you never used and had no idea of their value. We apologise for developing Ayers rock and Kakadu, and handing them over to you so that you get all the money. We apologise for giving you $1.7 billion per year for your 250,000 people, which is $48,000.00 per aboriginal man, woman and child. We apologise for working hard to pay taxes that finance your welfare, medical care, education, etc to the tune of $1.2 billion each year. We apologise for you having to approach the aboriginal affairs department to verify the above figures. For the trouble you will have identifying the “uncle toms” in your own community who are getting richer and leaving some of you living in squalor and poverty. We do apologise. We really do. We humbly beg your forgiveness for all the above sins. We are only too happy to take back all the above and return you to the paradise of the “outback”, whenever you are ready.

I can't believe there are people who think the indigeneous population of OUR country are not entitled to an apology for over 200 years of cultural decimation and gross mistreatment. Regardless of whether we have personally visited this marginalisation, disenfranchisement and familial destruction on the aboriginal people ourselves, this apology should serve as a testament to where we are now, as a heterogenous society. And, that we can acknowledge and be sincerely sorry for the wrongs of the past. I'm 2nd generation Australian, from a European background, I love this country and I'm very sorry too.

Go and spend a week up in Alice Springs just at the time when the aborigines get their yearly pay outs to go and drink up against the wall, see how they live in houses GIVEN to them by the government and then tell me we should say " sorry " Yes l have been there and l was shocked to hear Mr Rudd say what he did today. Say " sorry " to the young aborigrinal kids that are being assulted daily. I have nothing against any one but give me a break....do l get a "sorry" for being disabled....no l get ignored, do kids taken by DOCs get a " sorry " because 85% of the time DOCs screwed up? No they dont. The past is the past so please without disrespect get a life and move on. We didnt take these kids( stolen gen) away so dont ask us to be sorry for something we had no control over. We all have to live together in this country so now can we just do that without expecting so much. As for compensation....how can you compensate when most of the stolen gen are not here? money making scam...thats all

I think Dr Nelson's speech was spot on. He offered an apology balanced by substance that was in contrast to the meaningless apologetic posturing of the Prime Minister. Those individuals that booed and turned their backs on the opposition leader after he ruled out compensation, have demonstrated insincerity in seeking true reconciliation. They are obviosly incapable of accepting a bi-partisan Paliamentary apology, and have alienated themselves from most of the Australian population, many of whom voted for the coalition in the last election. Sorry day was a failure.

I hope all of you who felt the need for an apology understand that you have opened up a pandora's box. Lets see if it was a great idea when it comes to your hard earned money going to the BILLIONS of dollar of payouts to the greedy individuals putting in the flood of compensation claims.

What a wonderful day in the history of this great country. I am not an Australian although I have lived here for 10 years and I intend to live here for the rest of my life. It is fantastic to know that the leadership of our country is mature enough to be able to admit that mistakes have been made in the past and that they have been recognised and that we will all work together to ensure these types of things dont happen again. To all those people who have criticised the apology I suggest you have a good long hard look at ourselves. Maybe a little maturity is required. Think about anytime you have been hurt. If the person just continues on as though nothing has happened or even denies they did anything in the first place how does it make you feel. Isnt one of the first things we teach our children is to say sorry when they have done wrong? I suspect from many of the comments on this site that racism is still rampant in Australia

As we all sit an ponder the ramifications of what has happened today. The unending litigation and financial claims that we will endure now that we as a nation have apologised or admitted guilt for the sins of our forefathers. How many people who have commented her thus far are divorced or seperated and have taken their children from their partners when that partner does not place the child at risk? Is this not what we as a nation do to children everyday?

its never to late to say sorry. The text msg that read "our ancestors can now finally rest in peace" says so much. Today is as much about the people who are no longer with us as it is about those that stand beside us and those who will continue after we have gone. Ruddy you make me proud. Glad your where you stand today. michelle

You clearly have missed the point of this ! So if Aboriginals were here first , that makes you .... a foreigner as well ? So really we should all be fitting in with Indigenous customs not yours.

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