For the past few years I have participated in organizing sorry day events. During the leadership of our former PM the media didn’t even say boo to recognize that there was a day marked annually in our diaries for such recognition.
Today I say, well done PM Kevin Rudd on an amazing and well worded speech. However the wrist band on my arm reminds me daily of the commitment this ‘sorry’ really means. The band reads ‘close the gap’ which is a reminder of the commitment which is required for raising the standards of health care to be on par with anglo-Australians and hopefully extend the life expectancy of indigenous Australians. This is the kind of cost that will be required of us and our government. A cost it seems our government is aware of and committed to, a cost our former government shied away from.
Yet today, the day that has gone down in history as the most celebrated ‘sorry day’ has been marred by some individuals. On both sides of the political parties there has been immaturity and lack of respect. Labor representatives encouraging the famous back turning incident on Brendan Nelson’s speech and a Liberal MP openly mocking the gesture of saying sorry. Yes we all acknowledge that Brendan Nelson’s speech was 20 minutes too long and inappropriate (the first 60 seconds would have been plenty). Today is the day for sorry not justifications or excuses. But I will dare to foolishly say what no media personality was prepared to acknowledge:
‘Thankyou Brendan Nelson for saying sorry!’ Did anyone else get that or was it just me?
The opposition could have lived up to their reputation of being ‘opposition’ and gone the other way on this issue, but they acknowledged sorry too. The biggest celebration here is that our 2 major parties seem to be working together on this critical defining issue that faces
One of the things that really agitates me about some peoples responses to sorry day is the arrogance and apathy they have displayed. First of all let me direct you to a great site where Kevin Rudd’s speech has been posted here. I’ve found that one of the problems among some of my uneducated friends is that they haven’t been bothered to be informed. People are saying things like, ‘why should I be sorry, I’ve done nothing wrong’ and other more insensitive comments. If this is your complaint then you’re missed the point. Here’s another great article written by a friend of mine on this issue titled ‘Apology: Is it necessary?’
I’ll add my own little commentary to this from my own experience. There is a cute cultural quirk I discovered about Ni-Vanuatu culture when I spent some time in villages in
Our government on this sorry day has acknowledged the people, their story and their pain. Our government has also acknowledged responsibility for the past hurts of the government they represent. They have asked our indigenous friends, ‘will you let us journey with you in the pain so we may together come to a new place of discovering who we are and our identity as a nation.’
As a foolish follower of Jesus I understand that reconciliation and the discovery of a new identity can come at great cost. This is the part that makes people nervous. So what if it costs us financially? We are a wealthy country and a generous people. Human rights are far more important than our own hip pockets.
Check out our Churches of Christ statement and commitment to this issue:
As followers of Christ, and part of Christ’s Church
1. We acknowledge and value the inherent status of Indigenous Australians as the traditional owners and custodians of Australian lands and waters.
2 We make a commitment and take courage to own the truth and learn from our shared history.
3 We acknowledge that this land was colonised without the consent of Indigenous people, and that colonisation involved violence and force.
4 We acknowledge the injustices that have continued since colonisation. We regret the loss of Australian Indigenous people, their land, their culture, their children, their health and their lives.
5 We express our sorrow and profoundly apologise to Indigenous people for the injustices of the past, and for our shortcomings and mistakes.
6 We therefore pledge ourselves to take our part in making restitution [return, restore, renew, regenerate, resurrect, reinvest]; to ensure indigenous people are rightful custodians of their land, their culture, their children, their lives.
7 We pledge ourselves to stop injustice, address inequities, and to respect the rights of indigenous people to determine their own destinies
8 We pledge ourselves to build Conference structures and local churches that encourage the participation and the gifts of Indigenous people in life and worship.
9 We recognise the significant contribution of Indigenous People in this state and nation; and we make a commitment to move forward toward a future of mutual respect and harmony.
10 We look forward to being a reconciled and united people who
· respect our land,
· appreciate and value the heritage of Indigenous People and their relationship to the land and waters.
· recognise and value all people whatever their race or background.
· seek justice and equity for all people.
Having made this declaration, we as a family of Churches have committed ourselves to attitudes and actions which reflect, in a number of ways, the spirit of our Prime Minister’s stated intentions today. Let us reflect deeply on how we, as Churches of Christ in SA and NT can be, with our elected leaders, part of a mutual ministry of reconciliation.
Shalom
Mark
6 comments:
Great article Mark.
I was in a discussion today around the issue of mentoring women in leadership... when it was pointed out that indigenous people, those from other ethnic groups, and the young are arguably far more in need of mentors to equip them to make their voice heard than women.
It made me wonder whether one of the gifts the wider church might bring to indigenous people is facilitating mentoring (or training for this)... just a question that indigenous peoples themselves would have to answer I guess.
Thanks Janet, good point. I'll be sure to follow that idea when in conversation with those from our church who will be visiting the APY lands again this year.
Hope your mentoring program still going well in Vic
I don't know that I would thank Brendan Nelson. He was a part of the former government and failed to even mention the issue until it was brought before him as the now opposition leader. Also I don't think that the staffers started the back turning incident (I could be mistaken).
What has disappointed me, and I think you hint at it, is the average person in the street who doesn't seem to notice the significance of the day and give glib dumb jibes about being sorry. I have had to bite my tongue more than once in the past few days.
No, you bite your tounge? I don't believe it.
Yes I'm going out on a limb I know and I understand that this thought would not be popular, but the opposition could have been much more offensive and not even have said sorry. Even if it was, as one of my favorite blogs says, 'like a 10 year old boy being forced by his mother to make the apology'. It's still an acknowledgement even if the speach did contain inappropriate excuses and qualifications.
I actually feel a bit sorry for Brendan Nelson... I don't think he was trying to be offensive... it's just sensitivity isn't his strong point. Another "clanger" came to light today... I heard a distraught "humiliated" aboriginal woman interviewed on the radio whose story was quoted without her permission... misquoted in fact, and used as a sandwich between comments how there should be no compensation fund for the stolen generation. Brendan Nelson did ring her after the fact (so I think he didn't WANT to hurt her feelings)... but it's another example of gross insensitivity that telling her story in such a public setting without prior permission was OK.
Yes, I had read the staffers in question joined in the "back turning" in solidarity with the aboriginal people... but were required by Rudd to forward a written apology to Nelson, and did so. Actually, that impressed me about Rudd too... he really is trying to rise above "infantile" political bickering and adopt a bipartisan approach, when he could have made political mileage out of Nelson's misjudgment. Very decent behaviour I think... not what we're used to!
I'm sorry to hear about BN's misuse of story. It is making it all the more difficult for me to accept that he actually said sorry. He did say it right? I wasn't imagining it?
I agree Janet, I am enjoying Rudd's refreshing approach to politics. I think he is providing fine leadership. I'm about to blog on his latest 'stunt'...baning pay rises for MP's. Brought a huge grin to my face. Now that's foolish politics at it's best!
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