Astrological Association Research Paper

The apology to the Stolen Generations was delivered by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in the House of Representatives on the 13th February 2008. The national apology has become a symbol of hope for Indigenous and Torres Strait Islanders. Australia in modern day society are somewhat optimistic for the future of the relationship between both races. Attitudes to Indigenous lives and lifestyles, interactions and attitudes to personal involvement and cultural awareness and pride determines the quality of this relationship. The 2008 government apology to the Stolen Generations brought attention to the issue of reconciliation in a positive way that set an optimistic tone for the future. To improve the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians and provide equal life chances for all Australians, it is crucial to understand the underlying perceptions and values that influence society. An essential consideration in understanding the significance of the apology is to understand the nature of mistakes and responsibilities to which the apology responds. State and territory parliaments delivered apologies which were recommended by the Bringing Them Home (1997) report of the Australian Human Rights Commission. This inquiry was based on the removal of Indigenous Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal juveniles from their families, culture and land. Post events of the apology delivered in 2008, saw Kevin Rudd apologising again to the Forgotten Australians in November 2009. It

Since the time of federation the Aboriginal people have been fighting for their rights through protests, strikes and the notorious ‘day of mourning’. However, over the last century the Australian federal government has generated policies which manage and restrained that of the Aboriginal people’s rights, citizenships and general protection. The Australian government policy that has had the most significant impact on indigenous Australians is the assimilation policy. The reasons behind this include the influences that the stolen generation has had on the indigenous Australians, their relegated rights and their entitlement to vote and the impact that the policy has had on the indigenous people of Australia.

Only in recent years have we seen the recognition that the stolen generation deserves and the essential part it has play in the struggle of Aboriginal rights. Since the end of the stolen generation, numerous organisations and government agency has come out and said sorry for what happened for seventy years and as a result Aboriginal rights are becoming more apparent. The famous “I’m sorry” speech said by Kevin Rudd was the first Parliament apology to the Stolen Generation and was seen as a huge leap forward in the recognition of the Stolen Generation. The Bringing Them Home Report in 1997 was a strong campaign for The

Bruilly, E., O'Brien, J., Palmer and Palmer, M. (1997) Religions of the World, Great Britain: Macdonald Young.

Kevin Rudd’s apology was to the Aboriginals; but in particular, to the Stolen Generations. From 1909-1969, the Australian Government forced a policy know as assimilation upon the Aboriginals. Assimilation is the forced integration of minority groups onto the dominant society. Inhumane acts were inflicted upon these proud people because of the ‘Aborigines Protection Board’ which entailed that the Australian Government had full rights to forcibly remove half-caste children from Aboriginal care without parental consent nor a court order.

Review of a Year 12 Major Examination Paper – 2015 HSC, Stage 6, Studies of Religion 1 Unit Exam - http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/hsc_exams/2015/exams/2015-hsc-sor-1.pdf

After this time, many atrocities occurred, such as the fact that Aboriginals were often killed for sport, and massacres such as Myall Creek were occurring, where 28 Aboriginal men, women and children were murdered near Myall Creek Station in 1838. There was also the problem of the Stolen Generation, when Aboriginal children were forcibly taken from their homes to be raised as though they were white. It was only recently in 2008, that Kevin Rudd, the Prime Minister of Australia at the time, apologised for the actions that the government had undertaken. In another apologetic move, Prime Minister Paul Keating delivered a powerful speech regarding the fact that Aboriginal Communities were still segregated despite the fact that laws had been changed a number of years ago. This shows that the idea of atonement by Australia is quite a new topic. Does this prove the challenges that Aboriginal’s faced nearly 200 years ago are still present in today’s society? It was enough to force the Aboriginal men, women and children to begin act in support of their rights.

Despite the international prominence of human rights laws, Australia remains the only Western democracy without either a constitutionally entrenched or legislative bill of rights. Human rights can be defined as inalienable rights and fundamental freedoms that all individuals are inherently entitled to. Although human rights are protected to an extent through domestic legislation, the common law, the doctrine of the separation of powers, the rule of law, the Australian

The case of Ruddock v Vadarlis is fundamental when it comes to understanding the rights of an individual or human rights more broadly and how they are protected by public law in Australia, however this is an extremely complex issue, and this case outlined many of the protections that ensure human rights but also was one of the defining moments for human rights and public policy in the contemporary era, this cases influence stretches far, but this essay will explain how this case enshrined how Australian public law protects people’s rights. This essay will focus on the individual rights of Australians, this in itself generates a great deal of discussion and viewpoints, different ideas on exactly what rights were protected, and which rights

Reconciliation with the Indigenous People of Australia Reconciliation is not only an issue for the indigenous people of Australia, but for every Australian. The a major step in achieving this is for an official apology to be made by the Australian Government to indigenous Australians - especially those of the Stolen Generation. But as with any controversial issue in our society there are many differing views on the matter, in support and not in support of such a move. This essay will briefly outline these arguments subjectively.

Since European invasion in 1788, Indigenous Australians have fought to retain their rights and freedoms and to have governments recognise them. From 1788 and onwards the British created settlements on land that Aboriginal people previously used and controlled. Throughout the 19th century the government applied policies of ‘protection’ that have segregated Aborigines from Australian society by denying them equality and opportunity. They have achieved some significant changes in the brawl for acknowledgment (Anderson, 2014). Certain key developments that are significant in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders struggles for rights and freedoms are ; 1967 referendum, Mabo decision, bringing them home(stolen generations) and the apology. These four main key developments have been momentous developments for the Australian Indigenous population that are now allowed they’re human rights and freedoms.

On February 13th, 2008, indigenous and aboriginal people across all of Australia were deeply moved and in tears; The Prime Minister of Australia, Kevin Rudd, had finally apologised the Stolen Generations in his ‘sorry’ speech. The Apology was an important step towards rebuilding respectful and new relationships between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians, and to honour and apologize to stolen generations. Many Australians believe that respectful relationships are essential if we are to solve persistent problems. But poll results can sometimes show otherwise. We will see how the media saw the ‘sorry’ apology, how aboriginal and non- indigenous people felt and how they received the apology and also check out poll results. We will

During the 1890’s and 1970’s, Indigenous Australians did not have equal rights as the ‘white’ Australians and were treated callously, anguished and tortured due to their race. The Stolen Generation was the event where children, who were of an Australian Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent, were removed from their families. Many Indigenous children were forcefully removed from their families, never being able to see them again. The treatment towards the Indigenous Australian’s was horrific, as these children were taken away from their community, placed into an institution to be changed into the ‘white’ ways of doing things whilst being treated with brutality in the procedure. To demonstrate to what extent did the Stolen 3 Generation affected the Australian population several key areas of the will be examined. This includes; what was the Stolen Generation, when did the Stolen Generation start and when did it end, what was the cause of the Stolen Generation. how did the Stolen Generation affect the Indigenous Australians and the non – Indigenous Australians and how significant was the event to Australian History. Once these aspects have been observed, it will become clear that the affect of the Stolen Generation to the Australian population was a significant part of the Rights and Freedoms movement which change the way the Indigenous population were recognised in our society.

Behrendt was born in 1969, two years after the constitutional referendum was brought in as well as the end of the policy that allowed the removal of aboriginal children to be removed from their family (Behrendt, 2003). Behrendt provides a clearly articulated summary of what indigenous Australians want and need, how they feel and how it can all be achieved (Behrendt, 2003). Behrendt was one of the few fortunate children in her culture in the 70’s who was sent to school. Her schooling fuelled her frustration due to the lack of understanding to the extent of what her people, especially the stolen generation had to endure on their own land for so long (Behrendt, 2003). Behrendt desires to resolve the lack of knowledge and achieve change as she understood the impact of what indigenous people felt to do with dispossession, removal, and incarceration, so she became a lawyer (Behrendt, 2003). Behrendt argues why formal equality is not applicable when the laws

We stirred their imagination their desire for human rights.” This was significant into changing non-indigenous Australians thoughts by making them realise how wrongfully they were treated and made them feel so sorry they came together to help the Indigenous people achieve equality, just like every other human being. In 1967 Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islander people won the federal referendum, this included them in the census. Through the inclusion of aboriginals and Torres Strait islanders, we see the harmonisation of the non-indigenous and indigenous Australians.