Photo above from the Sydney Morning Herald 
Montage above (left to right, top to bottom):
Welcome ceremony, Parliament House Canberra Tue 12 Feb 2008 (Sydney Morning Herald); The Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, delivers the apology and faces around the country (SMH); My artist trading card "Reconciliation"; detail from poster; detail from poster; woman wearing "Thanks T-shirt, Parliament House crowd (ABC TV); detail from poster; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags; Kevin Rudd with Matilda House, who delivered a Welcome to Country at Parliament House 12 Feb 2008; art work; 'Sorry' in skywriting, over Sydney Harbour; Midnight Oil perform at Sydney Olympics wearing "sorry" clothes; march; didgeridoos; Redfern Park - an important venue in the history of "Sorry"; cleansing ceremony, Australia Day 2008.
An amazingly emotional, and unprecedented day in Australian history. The new Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, presented the first motion of the new Parliament. It was to say "Sorry" on behalf of Government and Parliament to the Stolen Generations, their families and communities. The Stolen Generations were those Indigenous people taken as children from their families because of government policy between 1910 and 1970. Their "sin" was to be born Aboriginal. Official policy of the time was to "breed out" Aboriginality. The forcible removal of children was meant to effect this over time.
You can hear the Prime Minister's speech, which includes much of the history of these institutionally racist policies, and see a lovely multimedia presentation here.
In 1997 a report titled "Bringing Them Home" documented the harrowing accounts of many who were stolen. Amongst other things, it recommended that as a first step towards Reconciliation an apology be made to the people for the wrongs and traumas that had been endured. The previous Prime Minister refused to utter that most simple and eloquent of words - "Sorry" .
On May 28 2000, 250,000 people walked over Sydney Harbour Bridge to express their support for Reconciliation between Australia's Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. Read about that moment here.
On 10 Dec, 1992 then Prime Minister, Paul Keating, who commissioned the Bringing Them Home report, had gone to Redfern Park and made a speech which set the tone for Reconciliation. Read the speech here. Keating, along with other former Prime Ministers, Gough Whitlam (1972-75), Malcolm Fraser (1975-83), Bob Hawke (1983-1991), Paul Keating (Dec 1991-1996) were present to support the apology. The only living ex-PM who didn't attend was the immediate past one, John Howard. His party, however, supported it today.
About time I say.
ReplyDeleteHurray, hurray, hurray.
Wishing I were there.
May this day be seen as a turning point by all Australian.
Your collage is beautiful. Where did you get the photos? Were you in CBR?
And John Howard wasn't there. Of course. Or else he would have said sorry himself. He had ten years in office to do it. Shame on him.
ReplyDeleteSorry, just realised you actually provided your sources for the photo in your commentary. Don't have time to follow all the links just now, but I sure will. This is such an important day for OZ.
ReplyDeleteOh, Nathalie, it was GREAT today. I am remiss in not saying that for the first time ever these are not photos I took myself (mostly - though some in the collage are - eg Redfern PArk, Australia Day). Most have been pinched from the net - SMH and some I took by photographing the huge screen broadcast I was watching in the auditoium at work. (I'm waiting to be sued for breach of copyright). But I didn't have a good pic of my own and it was too important a day to ignore.
ReplyDeleteIt was incredibly emotional, wasn't it? And very exciting - there had been a buzz in the air all week as I walk to word past Redfern Station. I liked the motion that was tabled - but especially I liked the speech that Rudd delivered - it was personal, it was heartfelt and it was meant. Whereas, unfortunately, the reply was none of those things. It was flat and full of platitudes and justifications. I eventually had to turn it off. Now I want the compensation money to go into making a difference to the children - education, health and a future.
ReplyDeleteThis is so wonderful.
ReplyDeleteThank you Sally for sharing it.
Sally, thank you so much for this post. I watched it on television yesterday and was astounded at the courage this has taken. Wouldn't it be wonderful if all nations would follow that lead and make amends to their minorities that have been abused throughout history? I doubt that any nation is immune to injustices. I,too, hope that reparation benefits the children.
ReplyDeleteOh Sally, I just listened to the great link you provided - marked HERE. I urge everyone to listen and watch. It's totally moving and I'm in tears.
ReplyDeleteI've followed this story from the time I lived in Australia and learned about the tragedy of the displaced Aboriginal children. I read a book by one of the children removed from her family - I forget the name now. At last! An apology - a real heartfelt apology. Your post is beautiful - wonderful photographs and words and THANKYOU.
Well, it's about bloody time, I say.
ReplyDeleteA very moving post - both in photos and in words.
I stayed up and watched it on the ABC's live streaming site. It was amazing wasn't it? When the members of the Stolen Generation applauded at the end, and then Kevin Rudd and the Parliament applauded them - I was so moved, tears where flowing and I was quite proud to be Australian - for the first time in a long time.
ReplyDeleteSally, this is a really great post, on a really important day.
I am not Australian, but very moved, nevertheless...
ReplyDeleteIs saying "Sorry" enough? Will there be restitutions?
Beautiful collage, Sally!
Congratulations Sally on this post. It was indeed a remarkable day in Australia's history.
ReplyDeleteWhat a day! We've been following the news leading up to it. And now the hard work begins. It'll be a very interesting next few years, I say.
ReplyDeleteIt has been in the news here too.
ReplyDeleteYou got a courageous new PM!
Phew...Sally....an awesomely comprehensive overview of the day. Thank you so much. You were very restrained in your comment about JW Howard...isn't it amazing how his absence spoke so loudly and clearly.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Sally. I don't think it matters that you didn't take the pictures; the message is very powerful and needed to be said. And besides, you did a great job with that collage, it's very colorful. Thank you for this post!
ReplyDeleteWe were visiting my sis-in-law in Manly from the UK that week. We had the TV on for my son to watch whilst we got ready for another day's sightseeing and the coverage for this started - we were so moved we were glued to the spot and sightseeing was put off for a couple of hours.
ReplyDeleteLove the blog - will visit frequently when I need a Sydney fix.
We were visiting my sis-in-law in Manly from the UK that week. We had the TV on for my son to watch whilst we got ready for another day's sightseeing and the coverage for this started - we were so moved we were glued to the spot and sightseeing was put off for a couple of hours.
ReplyDeleteLove the blog - will visit frequently when I need a Sydney fix.
your post is very interesting !
ReplyDelete