The Apology by Kevin Rudd

This assignment analyzes the apology given by Kevin Rudd to the Stolen Generations of the Indigenous people of Australia. It examines the reasons for the apology, its implications, and its effects in today's era.

Running head: THE APOLOGY BY KEVIN RUDD
THE APOLOGY BY KEVIN RUDD
Name of the student
Name of the university
Author note

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THE APOLOGY BY KEVIN RUDD
Abstract
The purpose of this assignment is to analyze the apology given by the Prime Minister Kevin
Rudd to the [Stolen Generations of the Indigenous people of Australia. This will include a brief
summary of the apology followed by the reasons that led to it and the implications of the apology
to the present status of Indigenous people.

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THE APOLOGY BY KEVIN RUDD
Introduction
The assignment aims to analyze the famous speech given in the Australian Parliament by
the former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd where he offered a national apology to the Stolen
Generations of the Indigenous community. The primary aim of the assignment is to examine the
implications of the apology and its effects in today’s era.
Discussion
The National Apology was a part of the recommendations of the Bringing Them Home
Report that was proposed in the Parliament in the year 1997. Mr. Rudd began the speech with the
acknowledgement of the Indigenous people of the Australian land as the “oldest continuing
cultures in human history” (Australia.gov.au, 2019). He makes an apology for the policies and
legislations that have imposed intense grief, loss and suffering to the people of Indigenous
communities. He ends the apology speech with an assurance of closing the gap between the
Indigenous and non-Indigenous people and look forward to a future of equality
(Australia.gov.au, 2019).
Now, it is important for the readers to understand the reasons for which the apology was
made – the Stolen Generations. The removal was done as per the laws and policies of the
respective national and federal governments. Referred to as “half-castes”, “octoroons” and
“crossbreeds”, these children belonged to mixed-race and the white Australians thought it their
duty to convert these children into white citizens. Robinson (2013) presents a broad overview of
the reasons for the removal of Indigenous children. According to the author, the initial purpose
for removing these children was done out of curiosity during the “course of violent frontier

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THE APOLOGY BY KEVIN RUDD
conflict or involved children who had been impacted by European introduced diseases”. Later,
the removal or stealing was done more for “civilizing” the children.
The apology was historic in that it recognized for the first time, that the Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander people, the original inhabitants of Australia, were being subjected to
injustice and unfair treatment. Mr. Rudd’s apology was considered by some as a symbolic
gesture of recognizing the Indigenous people as true citizens of the country. Some on the other
hand, found the apology more than just a “symbolic gesture” (SBS News, 2019). The views of
people during that historic speech found that many considered it more than just an apology but a
transformation in the country’s history (SBS News, 2019).
However, as Hornsey, Wohl and Philpot (2015) put it, the apology served inadequately
when it came to ensuring justice to the people who had suffered. The authors found evidences of
continued gaps in health outcomes, life expectancy and incarceration rates. As per the World
Health Organization Report, huge disparities are still visible in Australia when it comes to health
outcomes and life expectancy amongst Indigenous populations (Who.int, 2019).
Conclusion
To conclude, it must be stated that despite the magnitude of the National Apology, it had
failed to yield strong results. As analyzed in the assignment, the Apology by Kevin Rudd was
historic only in terms of it being the first time ever that a government apologized for the Stolen
Generations.

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THE APOLOGY BY KEVIN RUDD
References:
Australia.gov.au (2019). Apology to Australia's Indigenous peoples | australia.gov.au. [online]
Australia.gov.au. Available at: https://www.australia.gov.au/about-australia/our-country/our-
people/apology-to-australias-indigenous-peoples [Accessed 11 Mar. 2019].
Hornsey, M.J., Wohl, M.J. and Philpot, C.R., 2015. Collective apologies and their effects on
forgiveness: Pessimistic evidence but constructive implications. Australian Psychologist, 50(2),
pp.106-114.
Robinson, S., 2013. Regulating the race: Aboriginal children in private European homes in
colonial Australia. Journal of Australian Studies, 37(3), pp.302-315.
SBS News (2019). 'We say sorry': Today marks more than a decade since Kevin Rudd’s
National Apology. [online] SBS News. Available at: https://www.sbs.com.au/news/we-say-sorry-
today-marks-more-than-a-decade-since-kevin-rudd-s-national-apology [Accessed 11 Mar. 2019].
Who.int (2019). WHO | Australia’s disturbing health disparities set Aboriginals apart. [online]
Who.int. Available at: https://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/86/4/08-020408/en/ [Accessed 11
Mar. 2019].