despite a debt now greater than Queesnsland and New South Wales combined, Victoria has decided to apologise to it's non existant abos for what happened when they found an eel trap wouldn't stop colonisation hundreds of years ago.
Listen to this article
6 min
Premier Jacinta Allan with members of her frontbench after she issued an apology to Indigenous Victorians in the lower house on Tuesday. Picture: David Crosling
Gift this article
108 Comments
1 hours ago.
Updated less than a minute ago
Victorian Labor Premier Jacinta Allan’s sweeping apology to Aboriginal people covers the state’s actions and inactions, “the colony that came before it” and an apology to those who did not live to hear her say it.
In a lengthy statement in the Victorian parliament on Tuesday, Ms Allan described the new statewide treaty legislation as a negotiation between equals and said: “Today this parliament becomes a place of reckoning.”
Ms Allan’s apology was endorsed in the lower house on Tuesday morning by all Labor MPs, Greens and independent Will Fowles.
All Nationals and Liberal MPs in the lower house opposed it, although new Opposition Leader Jess Wilson said this was a policy disagreement about the best method to reduce disadvantage, not a dispute that the disadvantage existed.
Liberal Opposition Leader Jessica Wilson, centre, made a separate apology to Indigenous Victorians in the lower house. Picture: David Crosling
Ms Wilson issued a short apology on behalf of the opposition.
“To all Aboriginal Victorians listening today, I say this plainly: I see the injustice in our history. I see the disadvantage that still exists today, and I am determined that we must do better,” Ms Wilson said.
“We accept that this parliament and governments past has authored laws and policies that have hurt and caused injustice and disadvantage to Aboriginal Victorians. And for that, we say sorry.”
Ms Allan’s statement is an agreed element of the Statewide Treaty Bill that has passed both houses of state parliament and will become law on Friday.
The Premier evoked the memory of Kevin Rudd’s memorable 2008 apology to the Stolen Generation, when he famously repeated the phrase “we say sorry” three times in a short, powerful statement of fewer than 200 words.
Premier Jacinta Allan gave the apology on Tuesday. Picture: David Crosling
While Mr Rudd’s apology was for the pain caused by past child removal policies that targeted Aboriginal children, Ms Allan’s apology was much broader and longer. She said sorry 14 times for a range of past wrongs. She said “better futures for many came at the expense of others”.
“To all the First Peoples in the gallery today, and to every community across this state – we say sorry,” Ms Allan said.
“For the laws, the policies and the decisions of this parliament and those that came before it – laws that took land, removed children, broke families, and tried to erase culture – we say sorry.
“For the tears shed in the dark, for the silence that shadowed their years, and for the childhood taken, never to return – for the Stolen Generations – we say sorry.
“For the violence committed under the banner of the state, and the colony that came before it, and for the neglect that allowed it to continue without consequence – we say sorry.
“For the laws that criminalised culture and punished survival — we say sorry.
“For the wealth built on lands and waters taken without consent, while First Peoples were locked out of the prosperity it created – we say sorry.
“For the silencing of language, and the erasure of words that carried knowledge older than the State itself – we say sorry. The loss of those languages is a loss for us all, for they held truths about this ancient land that we may now never fully understand.
“For the forced removal of families to missions and reserves, where culture was controlled, movement restricted and identity denied – we say sorry.
“For the policies that stripped First Peoples of the right to move freely, to marry without permission, to work for fair wages, or to live with dignity on their own land – we say sorry.
“For the laws and policies which removed First Peoples from their lands and allowed the sale of sacred sites without consent – we say sorry.
“For the laws that filled institutions disproportionately with First Peoples and made this seem ordinary – we say sorry.
“For the harm that was done, and for the harm that continues – we say sorry, with the resolve to work with you to address injustice in all its guises.”
Members on both sides stand before Premier Jacinta Allan issues the apology to Indigenous Victorians in state parliament. Picture: David Crosling
In her reply to the apology, Ms Wilson said it was different to the one issued in state parliament by Jeff Kennett in 1997 because he had worked with then opposition leader John Brumby on a set of words that both sides of politics could support. Mr Kennett’s apology was to Aboriginal families for the removal of children under past policies.
Ms Wilson said it was sad that John Howard’s words at the opening of the 1997 Australian Reconciliation Convention remained true.
“He noted it cannot seriously be argued that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are not, as a group, profoundly disadvantaged. Sadly, almost three decades on, the truth of this statement remains largely unchanged,” she said.
“I emphasise that the policy difference is a matter of approach, not a dispute on the substance of the issue, which is that governments have a responsibility to do more, much more to address Indigenous disadvantage and empower Indigenous communities.
“And there are meaningful steps that can be taken without delay.
“We must … improve attendance and learning outcomes for Indigenous children in our schools. We must invest in improving health outcomes for Aboriginal Victorians. We must implement diversionary programs to keep Indigenous youth out of the justice system, and we must empower Aboriginal community-controlled organisations to secure funding and genuine decision making authority.
“And we must act to create job readiness programs to effectively participation for Indigenous people. Speaker. Good intentions matter, but so too did good outcomes. Actions matter.”
Premier Jacinta Allan gets a hug after the apology. Picture: David Crosling
The statewide treaty bill makes an expanded First Peoples Assembly of Victoria into a legislated voice to advise government, though the body will not be called a voice.
Its advice will not be binding, but it will have some powers including the authority to set standards to test who is and is not Aboriginal.
This comes amid widespread concern inside Victoria’s Aboriginal communities that a person can apply for a government job intended for an Aboriginal person on the strength of their own affidavit.
Day of ‘reckoning’ as Jacinta Allan apologises to Aboriginal citizens
PAIGE TAYLOR and LILY MCCAFFREYListen to this article
6 min
Premier Jacinta Allan with members of her frontbench after she issued an apology to Indigenous Victorians in the lower house on Tuesday. Picture: David Crosling
Gift this article
108 Comments
1 hours ago.
Updated less than a minute ago
Victorian Labor Premier Jacinta Allan’s sweeping apology to Aboriginal people covers the state’s actions and inactions, “the colony that came before it” and an apology to those who did not live to hear her say it.
In a lengthy statement in the Victorian parliament on Tuesday, Ms Allan described the new statewide treaty legislation as a negotiation between equals and said: “Today this parliament becomes a place of reckoning.”
Ms Allan’s apology was endorsed in the lower house on Tuesday morning by all Labor MPs, Greens and independent Will Fowles.
All Nationals and Liberal MPs in the lower house opposed it, although new Opposition Leader Jess Wilson said this was a policy disagreement about the best method to reduce disadvantage, not a dispute that the disadvantage existed.
Liberal Opposition Leader Jessica Wilson, centre, made a separate apology to Indigenous Victorians in the lower house. Picture: David Crosling
Ms Wilson issued a short apology on behalf of the opposition.
“To all Aboriginal Victorians listening today, I say this plainly: I see the injustice in our history. I see the disadvantage that still exists today, and I am determined that we must do better,” Ms Wilson said.
“We accept that this parliament and governments past has authored laws and policies that have hurt and caused injustice and disadvantage to Aboriginal Victorians. And for that, we say sorry.”
Ms Allan’s statement is an agreed element of the Statewide Treaty Bill that has passed both houses of state parliament and will become law on Friday.
The Premier evoked the memory of Kevin Rudd’s memorable 2008 apology to the Stolen Generation, when he famously repeated the phrase “we say sorry” three times in a short, powerful statement of fewer than 200 words.
Premier Jacinta Allan gave the apology on Tuesday. Picture: David Crosling
While Mr Rudd’s apology was for the pain caused by past child removal policies that targeted Aboriginal children, Ms Allan’s apology was much broader and longer. She said sorry 14 times for a range of past wrongs. She said “better futures for many came at the expense of others”.
“To all the First Peoples in the gallery today, and to every community across this state – we say sorry,” Ms Allan said.
“For the laws, the policies and the decisions of this parliament and those that came before it – laws that took land, removed children, broke families, and tried to erase culture – we say sorry.
“For the tears shed in the dark, for the silence that shadowed their years, and for the childhood taken, never to return – for the Stolen Generations – we say sorry.
“For the violence committed under the banner of the state, and the colony that came before it, and for the neglect that allowed it to continue without consequence – we say sorry.
“For the laws that criminalised culture and punished survival — we say sorry.
“For the wealth built on lands and waters taken without consent, while First Peoples were locked out of the prosperity it created – we say sorry.
“For the silencing of language, and the erasure of words that carried knowledge older than the State itself – we say sorry. The loss of those languages is a loss for us all, for they held truths about this ancient land that we may now never fully understand.
“For the forced removal of families to missions and reserves, where culture was controlled, movement restricted and identity denied – we say sorry.
“For the policies that stripped First Peoples of the right to move freely, to marry without permission, to work for fair wages, or to live with dignity on their own land – we say sorry.
“For the laws and policies which removed First Peoples from their lands and allowed the sale of sacred sites without consent – we say sorry.
“For the laws that filled institutions disproportionately with First Peoples and made this seem ordinary – we say sorry.
“For the harm that was done, and for the harm that continues – we say sorry, with the resolve to work with you to address injustice in all its guises.”
Members on both sides stand before Premier Jacinta Allan issues the apology to Indigenous Victorians in state parliament. Picture: David Crosling
In her reply to the apology, Ms Wilson said it was different to the one issued in state parliament by Jeff Kennett in 1997 because he had worked with then opposition leader John Brumby on a set of words that both sides of politics could support. Mr Kennett’s apology was to Aboriginal families for the removal of children under past policies.
Ms Wilson said it was sad that John Howard’s words at the opening of the 1997 Australian Reconciliation Convention remained true.
“He noted it cannot seriously be argued that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are not, as a group, profoundly disadvantaged. Sadly, almost three decades on, the truth of this statement remains largely unchanged,” she said.
“I emphasise that the policy difference is a matter of approach, not a dispute on the substance of the issue, which is that governments have a responsibility to do more, much more to address Indigenous disadvantage and empower Indigenous communities.
“And there are meaningful steps that can be taken without delay.
“We must … improve attendance and learning outcomes for Indigenous children in our schools. We must invest in improving health outcomes for Aboriginal Victorians. We must implement diversionary programs to keep Indigenous youth out of the justice system, and we must empower Aboriginal community-controlled organisations to secure funding and genuine decision making authority.
“And we must act to create job readiness programs to effectively participation for Indigenous people. Speaker. Good intentions matter, but so too did good outcomes. Actions matter.”
Premier Jacinta Allan gets a hug after the apology. Picture: David Crosling
The statewide treaty bill makes an expanded First Peoples Assembly of Victoria into a legislated voice to advise government, though the body will not be called a voice.
Its advice will not be binding, but it will have some powers including the authority to set standards to test who is and is not Aboriginal.
This comes amid widespread concern inside Victoria’s Aboriginal communities that a person can apply for a government job intended for an Aboriginal person on the strength of their own affidavit.
