On the significance of saying “sorry” – politics of memory and Aboriginal Reconciliation in Australia

2007 marked the 40th anniversary of the 1967 Referendum. Back on May 27th1967, more than 90% of Australian eligible voters said “yes’ to two changes of theAustralian Constitution considered discriminatory to Aboriginal people. This event isoften considered as the first stage of Reconciliation in Australia. 2007 also marked the10th Anniversary of the release of the Bringing Them Home Report that highlighted theforced removal of Aboriginal children from their family as part of an assimilationpolicy. From 1997, the issue of an apology became a sine qua non condition toReconciliation. It was an important element of the recommendations the Council forAboriginal Reconciliation submitted to Parliament in 2000. But, Liberal Prime MinisterJohn Howard, in office for more than ten years, refused to say the word “sorry” on thebasis that Australians of today are not responsible for the actions of the past and thatguilt is not hereditary. His focus was on what is called “practical reconciliation”. Somechanges are now on the way as Labor leader, Kevin Rudd, who defeated him at the lastfederal election in November 24th 2007, has promised to make a formal apology to thestolen generation. Why is it important to say “sorry”? At a time of dramaticdevelopments in Indigenous Affairs, this paper deals with the significance of an apologyfor Reconciliation in Australia.