KEVIN Rudd asked himself and the Australian public what context his apology to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people of our country has years on.
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He questioned whether there had been changes – in material conditions of our first Australians, in perception between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, and how the world sees us as a nation.
As we approach in 10-year anniversary in 2018, Griffith Aboriginal man Stephen Collins has his own point-of-view...
In 2008 the then Prime Minister Kevin Rudd apologised to members of the Stolen Generations and their families.
He apologised for the ongoing traumas and suffering stemming from past forced removal policies and laws affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island peoples Australia-wide.
From the first anniversary of the Apology in 2009, the Griffith Aboriginal Medical Service and its ‘Bringing Them Home’ program has organised, planned and hosted events each year to commemorate this significant date in Australia's history.
We have worked with many Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal community organisations, government and non-government departments.
They have made it possible to us, in partnership, to educate and provide awareness around the effects upon the Stolen Generations, their descendants and families.
These events were very successful and I would like to think the spirit in which we all worked together mirrors the spirit in which former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd spoke about in his apology in Parliament on February 13, 2008.
"For the future we take heart; resolving that this new page in the history of our great continent can now be written,” Mr Rudd said.
“We today take this first step by acknowledging the past and laying claim to a future that embraces all Australians."
The Stolen Generations is a part of Australia's history, it should be acknowledged and taught Australia-wide to ensure that this mistreatment of Australian people would never happen again.
