On the 12th of February 2008 the Parliamentary year was opened for the first time by Indigenous people. Matilda House, who is a local Indigneous elder, gave a moving welcome speech. Reference was made to the opening of the first parliament house in May 1927, a Wiradjuri man, King Billy, represented the Indigenous people of the time (before he was asked to move on because he was not appropriately dressed). The crowd declared that King Billy should stay. The following day he was presented to the Duke and Duchess of Kent on the steps of old Parliament House.
On the 13th of February 2008 a new begining has been set, with the apology of the PM Kevin Rudd to the Indigenous people of this nation. I listened to this on my way to work and then watched the rest of it on the big screen tv at work. Since then I have listened to talkback radio and read numerous newspapers, I feel a stong sense that change is in the air. I feel that it really does give all Australians an opportunity to move forward.
On the 13th of February 2008 a new begining has been set, with the apology of the PM Kevin Rudd to the Indigenous people of this nation. I listened to this on my way to work and then watched the rest of it on the big screen tv at work. Since then I have listened to talkback radio and read numerous newspapers, I feel a stong sense that change is in the air. I feel that it really does give all Australians an opportunity to move forward.
Kevin Rudd's apology part 1
Kevin Rudd's apology part 2
Kevin Rudd's apology part 3
Other important apologies
John Howard's apology, 2000
Paul Keating's apology (from the Australian Launch of the International Year for the World's Indigenous People, 1992).
Let us hope that this is the year that black and white Australians start to write and tell a new Indigenous story.
