The National Apology to the Stolen Generations (2008)
NOT IN THE TEST This part is worth reading, but the citizenship test never asks about it.
On 13 February 2008, the Australian Prime Minister made a national apology to the Stolen Generations in the Australian Parliament, speaking on behalf of all Australians. The Prime Minister said sorry for the way Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples had been treated in the past, and especially for the way that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children had been taken from their parents.
The speech was aired on television and radio stations. Thousands of Australians gathered together in public places and in their workplaces to listen to the ‘Sorry’ speech. The speech officially listed and apologised for past injustices. This was an important step towards the healing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and to ensure that these injustices would never happen again. The ‘Sorry’ speech was an important step forward for all Australians.
Today, the invaluable contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to the Australian identity is recognised and celebrated widely. Many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples hold leading positions across Australian society, including in the justice system, politics, the arts and sports.
From Australian Citizenship: Our Common Bond, the official booklet