Beyond sorry--the first steps in laying claim to a future that embraces all Australians.

Full Abstract

The Prime Minister has issued a formal, unqualified apology to Australia's Indigenous peoples for past mistreatment, particularly for the sufferings of those who were affected by the forced removal of children from their families. The Apology needs to be seen as the first step in a reparations process that adheres to human rights principles, involves Australians at all levels, is sustainable and upholds self-determination. The Apology is the first of five steps recommended in Bringing them home: the report of the National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from their Families. Further steps are: guarantees against repetition, measures of restitution, measures of rehabilitation, and monetary compensation, but the Prime Minister has steadfastly refused to discuss reparations or compensation. Monetary compensation has been recognised internationally as an essential component in the redress for similar experiences of the forced removal of children. As long as the final steps in reparation remain unresolved, they will obstruct our pathway to a future that embraces all Australians.

Author information

Author/s: Jackson Pulver, Lisa R (LR); Fitzpatrick, Sally A (SA);

Affiliation: Muru Marri Indigenous Health Unit, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia. l.pulver(-atsign-)unsw.edu.au

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Review

Journal: The Medical journal of Australia (Med J Aust), published in Australia. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2008-May; vol 188 (issue 10) : pp 556-8

Dates: Created 2008/05/19; Completed 2008/07/15;

PMID: 18484924, status: MEDLINE (last retrieved date: 2/18/2009)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

External Links for this article
(including full text providers, if available):

Click Electronic Full-text Provider Links to see options for finding the electronic full text links to this article. Note there may be a subscription or fee required for access to the full text. See our FAQ for information on finding FREE full text articles.

This article may also be located in paper journal collections available in many libraries. Use the Journal and Publication Information above to find the full article.