Do you think the government should be offering some form of compensation along with its apology to the stolen generations?
Some Aboriginal groups say the apology should be offered with compensation. Lowitja O'Donoghue from the Stolen Generations alliance is calling for a $A 1billion dollar compensation fund to be established, saying that an apology without compensation “won’t settle anything.”
But other groups say it’s the symbolism of saying ‘sorry’ that’s important.
What do you think? Is saying ‘sorry’ alone meaningful? Or do you think the government should also be offering to set up a compensation fund?
Is saying sorry, just by itself, actually enough? Or should it be accompanied with action?
What do you think about the fact that the sorry is being said on behalf of the government, and not the Australian people? Indigenous affairs minister Jenny Macklin said last month that “The apology will be made on behalf of the Australian government and does not attribute guilt to the current generation of Australian people.''
Comments (2)
Those Children who were taken from their families without Just Reason are entitled to compensation in the same way that someone who is unjustly convicted of a Crime and spends time in Goal is entitled to compensation. The most important questions to ask are these How do we increase the life expectancy of Indigenous Children and Protect them from abuse ?. How do we improve life opportunities of Indigenous Communities and free them from Alcohol and Child abuse and Violence.
Posted by Mark Prentice | February 17, 2008 8:55 PM
Posted on February 17, 2008 20:55
Depends on what you refer to as the stolen generation. Indigernous Australians weren't the only ones who were taken from their parents. In that same time period there were 'white' children taken from their parents because they were 'too young'.
But reciveing the compensation is a personal choice, so if they are going to offer a compensation fund, all Australians taken from their parents and the parents of the stolen children should have the choice to recive it.
Posted by David Seaman | February 12, 2008 7:57 PM
Posted on February 12, 2008 19:57