It's been a long time coming, but the Rudd government has promised to apologise to the stolen generations – in other words those Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who were forcibly removed from their families as children, between the mid 1800s-1970.
The PM says the government’s keen to make the apology early in the piece. Update: On 30 January, Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin announced 13 Feb as the date. The apology will be made in Parliament, with significant Indigenous participation, including a welcome to country ceremony in the Members Hall by Ngunnawal Elder Matilda House.
So with that in mind, the idea behind this blog is to create some space where everyone - no matter what side of the fence you're sitting on - can come and have a yarn about this important issue, and maybe discover a little more about what saying sorry is all about.
This blog isn't about trying to convert people to a particular way of thinking. There are a wide range of opinions in the Indigenous and non-Indigenous community about the apology, and I think that's a wonderful thing! My philosophy is simply that it's important we all understand the background and meaning of the apology, and come to our own informed conclusions about whether or not it will create a better future for all of us.
Sadly, in my travels around the www, I have noticed an increasing amount of misinformation out there, so over the next few weeks I'll be posting a bit about some the key facts (and myths) of the apology, as well as some links to helpful information. I'd love to hear your thoughts, so please have your say in the comments section of each post.
In the meantime, be sure to check out the new "Sorry" materials on Reconciliation Australia's interactive website, "Reconcile - It's All Our Story". I've found the FAQs there really helpful. The addy is: http://www.reconcile.org.au/getsmart/pages/sorry.php
Finally, reconciliation is about all of us - so please join the conversation and invite your friends, colleagues and perhaps even your enemies too! Feel free to post links on your Facebook or Myspace profiles.
Thanks for stopping by. Hope to see you round!
Christina
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