SORRY

The first National Sorry Day was held on 26 May 1998 - one year after the tabling of the report, Bringing them Home, which was the result of an inquiry into the removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families.

One of the recommendations of the report was that a National Sorry Day should be declared. Sorry Day offered the community the opportunity to be involved in activities to acknowledge the impact of the policies of forcible removal on Australia's Indigenous populations.


On Sunday 28th May 2000 more than 250,000 people participated in the Corroboree 2000 Bridge Walk across Sydney Harbour Bridge. This walk was in support of Indigenous Australians and was organised by the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation (now known as Reconciliation Australia), a Federal Government initiative to promote greater understanding between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.

The event highlighted the issue of a lack of an apology by the Commonwealth Government to the Stolen Generations.

FINALLY....

On the 13th of February 2008, the new Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, tabled a motion in parliament apologising to Australia's Indigenous peoples, particularly the Stolen Generations and their families and communities, for laws and policies which had 'inflicted profound grief, suffering and loss on these our fellow Australians.' The apology included a proposal for a policy commission to close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians in 'life expectancy, educational achievement and economic opportunity.'

I too say Sorry, for injustices that break my heart.

(much of this text is courtesy of The Government's culture.gov.au)