Opinions About the Use of Apology as a Tool of Reconciliation in 1997-2017 Australia

There have been many differing views on apology as a means of reconciliation in Australia between 1997 and 2008. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were mentally and physically tortured since the arrival of the first fleet: being separated from family and having their land stolen. Through the reconciliation process, to heal the scars of all Aboriginal people, especially the Stolen Generation and empathise with them, the reconciliation process became a priority to the Australian government. Although the process was meant to heal it failed to do so for many Indigenous Australians.

The damage of Indigenous Australians’ broken community and injustice of the Stolen Generations can never be fully forgiven since there are still many Aboriginal people who vividly remember the past torment. But through the reconciliation process of apologising and recognising past mistakes, Australians took a step forward for a better future for all. According to source 2, the commitment of the reconciliation process by Coalition Parties since 1991 was reaffirmed by Prime Minister, John Howard, on behalf of the Liberal and National Parties. This commitment was made to unite Indigenous Australians with the non-Indigenous by accepting differences and to provide equal opportunities to all.

For the convention of reconciliation to happen, over 100 formal conferences were held with over 10,000 people attending them and this showed the true aspect of reconciliation which was to gather the thoughts of all Australians. “True reconciliation must come from the hearts and minds of the Australian people, in the respect they have for differences, in the attitudes they encourage in their children, and in their recognition of the common destiny we share together as Australians.”- John Howard, source 2. The Australian government focused on the practical needs such as housing, health, education and employment, instead of symbolic gestures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The government worked to lighten their future by supporting them financially and with facilities, but this was not the best they could do. It seemed as if these gestures of “help” were done to replace a legitimate apology, in the perspective of an Indigenous Australian.

Although the whole process of reconciliation was slow, the government and supporters worked together to spread the awareness of the issue of reconciliation and accept existing differences to mend their relationship. An irreversible fault had been made in history, yet the fact that more people were becoming aware of the reconciliation process in Australia meant that it was possible to cure the scars left in the hearts of Aboriginal people. However, what was disappointing was that John Howard did not make a formal apology on the Stolen Generations and lacked sympathy for the Indigenous Australians. On the 26th of May 1998, the first National Sorry Day was held and this brought about much commotion. According to source 4, an Indigenous Australian who was part of the Stolen Generation expressed her frustrating perspective at the Australians who refused to apologise to Indigenous Australians.

The writer stated that saying “sorry” is simply expressing sympathy for those who have experienced difficulty, not when one feels the burden or guilt for the cause of the adversity. Children were ripped apart from their families and were left traumatised, yet people didn’t feel the obligation to say sorry. What the Indigenous Australians wished for was the warmth of Australians who could express their concern and show that they sincerely cared. In their perspective, they had all rights to feel that. The writer evidently expressed great disappointment in John Howard, stating “Our wounds heal slowly and, in fact, are continually re-opened when the leader of our country consistently refuses to validate our suffering and admit to any sorrow for the crime against humanity.”-writer of source 4.

Restoring the relationship was the most important factor of reconciliation yet the Prime Minister himself, could not say “sorry”. This broke the purpose of reconciliation which John Howard declared a time of “recognition of the common destiny we share together as Australians,”-source 2 since without him apologising, the Indigenous Australians would never feel the urge to forgive. It would have been laughable in the Indigenous Australians’ perspective that the Prime Minister seemed to care about reconciliation yet he doesn’t know the correct way of approaching the issue. John Howard, in his perspective, believed he had logical reasons to not apologise saying that a generation can’t take responsibility for the past generation, and many people actually supported his argument. Likewise this event, on the 6th of April, 2000, John Howard along with Senator John Herron (minister for Aboriginal affairs) left an unfavourable impression on the Indigenous Australians. In source 5, John Herron claimed that no more than 10% of Aboriginal people were affected by the removal and they were separated for “mostly good reasons”. Therefore, implying that it was technically not a ‘generation’ of stolen children. Whether it be a generation or not, it was appalling for most people to hear such an insensitive statement and this clearly demonstrated the downfall of reconciliation.

Although there were documents such as the ‘Bringing them Home Report’ which proved the cruel practices, John Herron refused to apologise, thinking the records were flawed. People’s perspectives were split into two; those who supported John Herron’s argument and those who didn’t. Outraged by the claim, many spokespeople such as Rod Towney and Naomi Mayers expressed their concern about how heartless John Herron was and as to how they expect reconciliation without him acknowledging the past inhumane practice of the government.

About 10 years later, 2008, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd finally apologised to the Stolen Generation. With the apology came mixed reactions of resenting and forgiving. “I feel great. I’m on top of the world, I’m floating on air. It’s a big weight off my shoulders…It’s the closure I need.”-from source 8. Archie Roach who was a member of the Stolen Generations expressed his relief and delight in hearing the apology through the quote. As much as there were Indigenous Australians who forgave, there were also many who continued to hold a grudge against the Australian government. “It’s not doing anything for me, it won’t give me back my years.”-source 8, Rhonda Maynard. Of course a simple apology can’t bring back those years of torture, but with Kevin Rudd’s apology, the Australian government took a step further into reconciliation with both positive and negative perspectives on the topic.

Even after all these years, reconciliation may possibly never be achieved because of the differing perspectives of Australians. Still, solutions for unity should constantly be thought of and more should be aware of how terrible past events were for the Stolen Generation, and acknowledge the past mistakes of the Australian government which emotionally and physically hurt Indigenous Australians. To unite as one and bring peace, we must continue to give recognition to the Indigenous Australians who were the first owners of this land which we now call Australia.