26 August 1999
E&OE……………………………………………………………………………………….
MUNRO:
When his Government was re-elected last October John Howard promised to work towards reconciliation with Australian aborigines in time for the Centenary of Federation. Well, tonight the PM says he’s taken a major step towards achieving that goal. Two years after the so-called stolen generations report both Houses of Federal Parliament have passed a motion expressing deep and sincere regret to indigenous Australians for the hurt and trauma they suffered in the past. And it was John Howard who had the last say in choosing those words.
Prime Minister, thanks very much for joining us.
PRIME MINISTER:
Pleasure.
MUNRO:
A deep and sincere regret. Is this an apology?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, it’s a deep and sincere regret. What it is an historic moment in which, I think, we have shifted the whole debate on reconciliation. I don’t want to parry and thrust over words. This is a motion that has been warmly welcomed by the only indigenous Senator in the Parliament, Aden Ridgeway. It’s been warmly welcomed by people like Gatjil Djerrkura and Lowitja O’Donoghue. It will clearly be seen by the Australian community as a sensible way of dealing with this issue. And most importantly we can all now move on and achieve a reconciliation process and celebrate our 100 years as a nation in a united whole-hearted way that involves all of the Australian people including our indigenous citizens.
MUNRO:
Can we move on if still members of the stolen generations are saying they want sorry?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, Mike, you will never satisfy everybody. But what we have done with this motion today is really move a mountain and I think it’s fantastic and most Australians will see it that way.
MUNRO:
And this is the furthest you will concede?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, it’s not a question of, you know, I mean, this is not a battle. This is feeling comfortable about saying things that you believe. Now, I believe this country has so much to be proud of. I think we have an immense Australian achievement. I recognise that in the past we have treated our indigenous people badly and this document says so. But I do not believe that the present generation of Australians must apologise for things they themselves didn’t do. And this document accommodates both of those streams of thought and both of those attitudes.
MUNRO:
Prime Minister, you said you were personally sorry two years ago…
PRIME MINISTER:
That’s right.
MUNRO:
But refused to go that one step further to say sorry on behalf of the nation. Is it that difficult?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, I think what we have said today on behalf of the nation is the right way to go and the right way to deal with it. And the Parliament unanimously, even though the Labor Party tried to amend it, in the end they didn’t oppose our resolution, so the Parliament unanimously has said things, they have acknowledged the blemishes in our past, they have acknowledged that people have suffered, they have expressed a regret and they have importantly expressed an aspiration to move on. And that has been supported by leaders of the indigenous community.
MUNRO:
At that National Reconciliation Council when you did personally apologise but not on behalf of the nation the aborigines there turned their backs on you.
PRIME MINISTER:
No, well that’s…I am sorry, this is one of the myths of history. What happened was that the aborigines originally turned their backs on me before I started…as I started to speak. And when they heard me issue my personal regrets they then turned around…the footage of me reacting strongly was in relation to the native title issue not in relation to the apology issue. That for the last two years there’s been this idea that that reaction was in relation to the apology issue rather than in relation to the native title issue.
MUNRO:
Looking back, do you think you over-reacted?
PRIME MINISTER:
Oh, look, I have said before I didn’t think I handled myself in a…on that particular part of it very well. I don’t mind saying that. I mean, I have been in this game long enough to know that sometimes you get the atmospherics of something wrong. There was nothing wrong with the words I used. And I was angry that people were accusing the Government of all sorts of things in relation to native title that weren’t true. But Prime Ministers should never get too angry.
MUNRO:
True. Do you think, Prime Minister, this whole issue is a festering saw for all Australians no matter which side of the fence they stand on?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, I never believe anything is forever a festering saw if you have goodwill and you try and tackle it and you try and move on. And that’s what we have done today. And because Senator Ridgeway is there now and he’s been a great bridge. He’s come a distance. I have gone a distance. We have both worked together to try and provide a symbolic expression of national regret but also national reconciliation. And that’s a terrific thing. Symbolism is important, it’s not the only thing, but it is important.
MUNRO:
So much so that Senator Ridgeway could even be…make a good first President of Australia?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, you know my views on that. I don’t think we need a President. I think we have got a terrific system of Government at the present time.
MUNRO:
Or Lowitja O’Donoghue as the Governor-General?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, look, we have a very…you know I can’t talk about the personality of the Governor-General. Our present Governor-General is doing a great job and it wouldn’t be right of me to speculate about who his successor might be.
MUNRO:
Prime Minister, thank you very much for your time, we appreciate it.
PRIME MINISTER:
Thank you.
[ends]