iDIDJ Australia Didgeridoo Cultural Hub

ididjaustralia · Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2008 3:30 pm Post subject: Prime Minister Rudd to say Sorry

Could be a turning point in modern Australian history:

Rudd in a hurry to say Sorry

Guan

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martin · Joined: 22 Mar 2007 Posts: 101

Hi Guan,
sounds good. I sincerely hope that this means real change this time.
Cheers, Martin

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YidakiMago · Joined: 23 Mar 2007 Posts: 74

Saying SORRY is ooooooh so easy! But what really counts is how this word will be translated into hard fact DEEDS!!! Though the first streaks off light trough the dense sheet of clouds are in deed welcomed.

ididjaustralia · Posted: Fri Feb 01, 2008 9:53 am Post subject:

Hi Peter,

The reason why it has been so difficult for the Australian Government or state governments to say "sorry" to Indigenous Australian, for all the past misdeeds like the Stolen Generation in particular, is because of the word compensation. To say sorry and to admit guilt equates to liability. Compensating Indigenous Australians for their hurt, pain, loss of culture and identity etc. would cost billions of dollars and that is what people like Howard were afraid of. So it will be interesting to see what the Rudd government does, whether it is committed to symbolic reconciliation only or whether they are going to tackle practical issues as well...

Let's wait and see eh?

Guan

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ididjaustralia · Posted: Sat Feb 02, 2008 8:04 pm Post subject:

Here's the latest news about saying "Sorry" and compensation:

Quote:

Rudd rules out compensation
By Michelle Grattan and Tony Wright
February 2, 2008

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has moved to ensure the Government's historic apology to the stolen generations is not misread as opening the way to compensation.

"We will not, under any circumstances, be establishing any compensation arrangements or any compensation fund. Absolutely blunt on that," he declared yesterday.

But Aboriginal leader Mick Dodson said compensation would stay on the agenda.

The apology remained a source of division in the Liberal Party, with shadow treasurer Malcolm Turnbull giving notice he would strongly urge his colleagues to support it.

While leader Brendan Nelson was waiting to see the Government's wording, Mr Turnbull said, "I do support an apology", adding that he would "have a lot to say with my colleagues next week" when the party room met.

Dr Nelson gave his strongest hint of potential support, saying "it may, in fact, be something with which we will be quite comfortable".

A spokeswoman for Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin said the Government would sponsor a "modest number" of the stolen generations to come to Canberra for the February 13 apology.

Former prime minister Malcolm Fraser will also be there. Another former PM, Gough Whitlam, said the apology was a step in the right direction, but Australia should look to Canada, which had done "much better for its indigenous inhabitants".

Mr Rudd would not say if the Government would be represented in court if people sought to use the apology in individual cases to back their argument for compensation.

If anyone were to use it to advance a legal case, "we would, of course, be robust in our legal advice that there is no basis for them to do so on the basis of the apology", he said.

"But since year dot, any individual in Australia is capable of taking any legal action against any government to seek compensation or redress for any matter," he said.

The reason the Government would not establish a compensation fund or arrangements was that "we've got to get this right - it's unfinished business for the nation.

"Aboriginal people were dealt a very raw deal through this. We need to make amendments for it. I will do that through an apology. It's then time to move on, and to move on through working together to close the gap in health, education outcomes for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australia."

Mick Dodson, one of the key authors of the 1997 Bringing Them Home report on the stolen generations, said no one would lose their legal right to seek compensation, regardless of the Government's pledge that no compensation would accompany the apology.

Professor Dodson, director of the National Centre for Indigenous Studies at the Australian National University, told The Age compensation would remain on the agenda, whatever the Government said.

"When we made our recommendations (in the Bringing Them Home report), we talked about reparation, which is based on international human rights protocols," he said.

"Just because the Government says it will not establish a compensation fund doesn't mean anyone loses their legal rights."

However, Professor Dodson said most members of the stolen generations would have significant difficulties fighting in court because of a lack of solid proof.

"In many cases, records were poorly kept, lost or not kept at all, often quite deliberately," he said.

"The most important thing about what is about to happen is that the apology will represent a huge shift in the relationship between indigenous and non-indigenous Australia. It will be a wonderful platform to build on - a beginning to help address the obvious problems that exist across indigenous Australia."

Source: The Age newspaper.

Guan

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YidakiMago · Joined: 23 Mar 2007 Posts: 74

Hmmmmmmmmm,

This is what I call political trickery!!! This is not a full blown SORRY. Nor a very sincere apology. It's a hussssscher! Keep everybody in line and content. In the meanwhile they carry out the plans the public will never see or hear off. Yer, later when we can't hold any one accountable for there deeds. "Oops, where so sorry"

ididjaustralia · Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2008 12:20 am Post subject:

More news as the countdown to The Apology approaches:

Quote:

Coalition to support indigenous apology

Coalition MPs have agreed in principle to support Labor's apology to the stolen generations, paving the way for a bipartisan resolution by parliament.

But Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson indicated the coalition reserved the right to vote against it if the precise wording proved unacceptable.

Dr Nelson, who previously said he opposed an apology, said the coalition believed it was "morally and practically important" it be delivered.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd gave Dr Nelson an outline of the apology during a 50-minute meeting but did not show him the exact wording, which the coalition had wanted to see before deciding its position.

A written outline given to Dr Nelson said the apology, which will be the first business of the new parliament when it sits next week, will be directed to the stolen generations, their descendants and families.

It will recognise past mistreatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and will include a commitment that the parliament will act to ensure past wrongs are not repeated.

"The apology will be on behalf of the Parliament of Australia rather than the government if it is likely to receive bipartisan support," the outline read.

Opposition indigenous affairs spokesman Tony Abbott said the outline was not detailed enough.

"Precisely what we are apologising for and the terms and the scope of the apology, that is still far from clear," Mr Abbott told the Fairfax Media Network.

But although a number of coalition MPs oppose the apology, Dr Nelson said no one indicated in the party room they would cross the floor to vote against it.

Dr Nelson said every member of parliament should also be given the opportunity to have their say on the apology before a vote was taken.

And Mr Rudd should also release legal advice he had received to reassure the public that it would not "open up the floodgates for compensation".

Dr Nelson also said it would be his preference if the stolen generations were called instead the "forcibly removed generations".

"My preference would certainly be that the term `stolen' be not used," Dr Nelson said.

"It is, however, something that (has been) taken on in the lexicon ... in relation to this issue.

"It's something upon which the government is not prepared to negotiate."

Former Liberal prime minister Malcolm Fraser, an ardent backer of the apology, said he would endeavour to be in parliament on Wednesday and called on John Howard, Paul Keating, Bob Hawke and Gough Whitlam to be there too.

"I would like all the past prime ministers to be there," he told Sky News.

"It makes it more significant if people who have led the Australian government in the past are there showing their support for what's being done.

"The more strongly this apology can be expressed, the more Aboriginal people believe that this really is supported by the nation as a whole."

From The Age newspaper.

Guan

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YidakiMago · Joined: 23 Mar 2007 Posts: 74

Twisting and Turning Evil or Very Mad

ididjaustralia · Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 12:05 am Post subject:

3 more sleeps before The Apology, this will be remembered as the day Australia matured as a modern nation. Very exciting stuff for me to belong to this generation...

Guan

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mahoran · Joined: 23 Mar 2007 Posts: 137 Location: Gent, Belgium

What is IDIDJ going to do on that important day Guan
anything special coming up?

M

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ididjaustralia · Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 1:16 am Post subject:

Not sure Mahir, I should have thought of a special promotion or something eh? I'll be in the city tomorrow doing videoing Smile

I saw Djakapurra on tv today too, on the news. He was singing in Parliament I think, or outside it!

Guan

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Peter Lister · Joined: 10 Apr 2007 Posts: 214 Location: Australia

You guys can watch it live from Parliament House in just 10 minutes time;

http://tinyurl.com/2nl2k7

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danielsaan · Joined: 10 Apr 2007 Posts: 132 Location: London

What a speech.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/rudd-says-sorry/2008/02/13/1202760342960.html

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Danyu

ididjaustralia · Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 1:06 pm Post subject:

Djakapurra and others yesterday on YouTube:

Link

Guan

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itsadidj · Joined: 23 Mar 2007 Posts: 38 Location: New York

Very excited here in New York......... : )

Picture ran top of the fold in the physical paper - PG1!

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/13/world/asia/13aborigine.html?_r=1&ex=1360558800&en=6d791c1d344b384a&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&st=cse&sq=aborigines&scp=1&oref=slogin

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Chris