Valentines Day with a difference?

Dateline Canberra 13th February 2008

The current Prime Minister of Australia, Kevin Rudd finally says "Sorry" to indigenous people in Australia.

The parliament apologised today for breaking up families and for the pain, degradation and suffering inflicted on the Aboriginal people.

Part of the text reads:

"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 today take this first step by acknowledging the past and laying claim to a future that embraces all Australians,'' it says.

"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."

Given this motion, that Mr Rudd made in the Australian Parliament today, let's hope that indigenous peoples in this country will all accept the apology and accept that it demonstrates bi-partisan good will from both the government of this country, the opposition and also from the non indigenous people in Australia, those who have come here from all parts of the globe to settle and to enrich the cultural heritage of this country, by adding their contributions to the already rich tapestry woven by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, a tapestry that has become, in essence, Australia.

It is perhaps fitting that the apology is made on the day before Valentine's Day, a day now imbued with the tradition of lovers expressing their love for one another.

If the indigenous people of this country accept the apology, then tomorrow can bring a new dimension to Valentine's Day.

It can become for all Australians, a day not unlike the day that would follow what might happen in a family relationship in which at least one party has been able to say 'sorry' and is forgiven for past transgressions, so that the future of the relationship can be celebrated and then worked on jointly by all of those who are part and parcel of that family.

Let's try and bring to this next Valentine's Day, a new meaning of reconciliation and a peaceful, prosperous and harmonious future for all who live together in this country.