On the 13th of February, 2008, Mr Kevin Rudd gave an apology speech in Parliament House to apologise to the Aboriginals affected by the Stolen Generations. Since this speech occurred, no significant rights have changed as a result of the speech. Despite this, there has been a development to some rights and freedoms for Aboriginal people living in Australia. Prior to Mr Rudds' speech, no apology was ever made to Aboriginals for the suffering and loss that they went through.
Mr Rudd was appointed Australia’s 26th Prime Minister between 2007 and 2010 (kevinruddmp, n.d.), and promised that if voted Prime Minister, he would apologise to the Aboriginals affected during the Stolen Generations. This promise gained Mr Rudd many votes during the election campaign. As promised, once he was elected, an apology was made to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders affected by the Stolen Generations. Mr Rudd’s aim was to close the gap between Aboriginals and white Australians, meaning that they will no longer be segregated within Australian society and would have equal rights. His speech stated that he wanted ‘to close the gap that lies between us …show more content…
This had a significant impact on many Aboriginal families and communities as many children have never met their parents. During this time period, children were forced out of their homes without any explanations. (SBS, 2012) Before the apology speech made by Mr Rudd, the rights against the Aboriginals were brutal, allowing for the forceful removal of many families. It was not until 1995 that a National Inquiry was launched into the separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from their Families. (SBS, 2012). This was a closure to an act passed in 1897 allowing the removal of local Aboriginal people onto and between reserves, allowing for Aboriginal children to be held in dormitories. (SBS,
Mr Rudd was appointed Australia’s 26th Prime Minister between 2007 and 2010 (kevinruddmp, n.d.), and promised that if voted Prime Minister, he would apologise to the Aboriginals affected during the Stolen Generations. This promise gained Mr Rudd many votes during the election campaign. As promised, once he was elected, an apology was made to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders affected by the Stolen Generations. Mr Rudd’s aim was to close the gap between Aboriginals and white Australians, meaning that they will no longer be segregated within Australian society and would have equal rights. His speech stated that he wanted ‘to close the gap that lies between us …show more content…
This had a significant impact on many Aboriginal families and communities as many children have never met their parents. During this time period, children were forced out of their homes without any explanations. (SBS, 2012) Before the apology speech made by Mr Rudd, the rights against the Aboriginals were brutal, allowing for the forceful removal of many families. It was not until 1995 that a National Inquiry was launched into the separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from their Families. (SBS, 2012). This was a closure to an act passed in 1897 allowing the removal of local Aboriginal people onto and between reserves, allowing for Aboriginal children to be held in dormitories. (SBS,