Julie Bishop - Member for Curtin

The First Anniversary of the Apology

Friday, 13 February 2009

Minister Jenny Macklin, the Hon Bob McMullan, Tom Calma, Bob Randall, Helen Moran, Ann Morgan, the many representatives of Indigenous Australia that are here today and the National Sorry Day committee. Also an acknowledgement of the angelic voices of the Ainslie school children, it is wonderful to have them here today. Thank you Matilda for your Welcome to Country and I recognise the traditional owners of the land upon we stand and meet today.   

Recognising and acknowledging our past is a vital step in defining our future. On this the first anniversary of the National Apology to the Stolen Generations, Australians across this country recognise that the Apology was not the end of a journey, but it did mark the beginning of another.  A true journey of healing. In the words of the Australian of the Year, Mick Dodson: ‘It was the essential gesture that lays the foundation for us to achieve real improvements’.

The Apology is about moving forward and working together to improve the economic and social circumstances of all indigenous Australians. It must be the solid foundation upon which we build and embrace the opportunities the consensus and good will provide. 12 months on we need to determine if we have built on that foundation. Determine whether we are moving in the right direction and whether we have a timetable with clear milestones, so that we can close the gap on indigenous disadvantage.

History will judge or history will measure the impact of the Apology. Not just the impact on the days leading up, or on the day or the days following, but in the gains that are made for indigenous people in the long term for years, decades and generations to come. To move forward governments at all levels need to be courageous, communities to be brave and strong.

Progress should not be measured by the number of agreements or announcements but from tangible and real outcomes. This requires leadership from government and from leaders within our indigenous communities. Government must be open, all governments, at all times must be open in reporting actual progress and not be fearful of reporting if there have been failures. Because we can learn, all of us, from experience – what works, what does not work.

It is a long journey to close the gap. There will be stumbles along the way. But we regain our footing and we keep on going forward. We need to see real and tangible benefits for better housing, for better health, for better educational outcomes. Every Australian hopes that this Government can fulfil its promise to and I quote ‘ have every indigenous four year old in a remote aboriginal community enrolled and attending proper early childhood education centres and engaged in pre-literacy and pre-numeracy programs within four year’. These are the kind of real outcomes that we must aim for. We must hope that governments at all levels can achieve far better outcomes in not only literacy and numeracy but employment and infant mortality rates for indigenous children and we must remain deeply committed to close the 17 year life expectancy gap between indigenous and non indigenous Australians. From our indigenous communities we find many courageous leaders and we must encourage many more to come forward, to continue the momentum underway to close the gap of indigenous disadvantage.

Australia has before it a tremendous opportunity to break down barriers, to build trust, to gain greater understanding and to unite this country in a way that benefits us all. Let us embrace this journey that makes a real and sustained contribution to improving the lives of indigenous people. I have been honoured to take part in this ceremony and the presentation today.