Howard's sorry effort

Meeting in Sydney after the "Motion for Reconciliation" announced by 
Prime Minister John Howard was passed by Federal Parliament, the National 
Sorry Day Committee rejected it as an apology to the Stolen Generations of 
Indigenous children removed from their families.

While acknowledging that the "Motion of Reconciliation" is a step towards 
"recognising our true history", the Committee believes that Reconciliation 
cannot be achieved until:

* a formal apology specifically addressed to the Stolen Generations is 
passed by Federal Parliament;

* all of the 54 recommendations of the Bringing Them Home report are 
implemented with integrity and in consultation with Indigenous people and 
communities.

The Committee — which coordinated the first National Sorry Day on May 26 
last year and launched the Journey of Healing in May this year — also 
underlines the following facts:

* That the need for a formal apology by the Australian Parliament was first 
voiced as a deeply-felt plea by Indigenous people giving evidence to the 
Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission's Inquiry into the separation 
of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders from their families;

* That all State Parliaments and the ACT Legislative Assembly (but not the 
Northern Territory Assembly) have passed formal apologies for the forced 
removal of indigenous children;

* And that more than half a million Australians made personal apologies 
through signing Sorry Books, and attended events throughout the country.

In keeping with these apologies from their fellow Australians, members of 
the Federal Parliament still need to address this unfinished business.

The National Sorry Day Committee is writing to the Prime Minister, asking 
that these matters be taken up promptly in the national interest.