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A U S T R A L I A N    E M B A S S Y    A N K A R A

MEDIA RELEASE

12 February 2009

13 February 2009 marks the first anniversary of the Apology to Australia’s Indigenous Peoples

On 13 February 2008, the Prime Minister moved a motion of Apology to Australia’s Indigenous Peoples in the Australian Parliament, which was unanimously passed.

Although the Apology was to all of Australia’s Indigenous peoples, it was directed particularly toward those Indigenous Australians who as children were forcibly removed from their families under laws and policies of previous governments – known as the Stolen Generations.

The Apology was a powerful act of reconciliation and national healing, and sparked intense interest overseas.

The Australian Government is committed to building a genuine, sustained and constructive engagement and partnership with Indigenous people. The National Apology has helped to start to build that trust and good faith.

The Government has held consultations with Indigenous people across the country on the establishment of a National Indigenous Representative Body to give Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people a voice in national affairs.

Commonwealth, State and Territory Governments have recently acted in concert to commit $4.6 billion in targeted initiatives for Indigenous Australians to drive reform across early childhood development, health, housing, economic development and remote service delivery.

Governments are developing implementation plans in consultation with Indigenous people.

For further information:

- The Reconciliation Australia website
(http://www.reconciliation.org.au/i-cms.isp?page=830)

- About the Apology and the Stolen Generations
(http://www.reconcile.org.au/getsmart/pages/sorry/sorry--faq.php)