Australian Government to Apologise to Members of the Stolen Generations – Multicultural Advisory Committee meeting – 06/02/08

Motion move by Clr Khodr Saleh  chairperson of the Canterbury city council Multicultural Advisory Committee,  at the committee meeting on 6th  of February 2008  in response to the Australian Government to Apologise to Members of the Stolen Generations

THAT the Committee supports the Federal Government’s apology to members of the Stolen Generation.

AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT TO APOLOGISE TO MEMBERS OF THE STOLEN GENERATIONS

The Federal Government’s Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Jenny Macklin, announced in late January that a formal apology to members of the Stolen Generations would be made as the first item of business for the new Parliament on Wednesday, 13 February, 2008.

The proposed apology will follow a national Welcome to Country as part of the opening ceremony proceedings the day before.

The apology has been proposed to be made on behalf of the Australian Government and does not attribute guilt to the current generation of Australian people.

The proposed apology has been described by the Federal Minister as the beginning of a new relationship, a bridge to build respect and a powerful healing symbol.