(*)(*)(*)(*), there probable not going to stop there either..

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Why is it that, as a culture, we are more comfortable seeing two men holding guns than holding hands? ~ Ernest Gaines

Wow - whole DOZENS of them?? What, do you know, is the entire indigineous population in Australia? I'll tell you. It's 455,000 or thereabouts. So even if 10-dozen have `put their hands out', that is 0.0002% of the indiginous population in Australia. Jeesh - do you think we can handle it?

And how do you know it's `always' been about money? I don't believe I have seen one, single indiginous person in any form of media talk about money with relation to this issue. The only people I have heard talk about it are white lawyers and advocates. It seems to me that the very vast majority of Aboriginals have been gracious and accepted the apology.

Do you have a link where I can see who has `immediately put their hands out and demanded compensation'? I haven't heard anything yet about any class action or compensation claims.

And regardless, I think that in some instances compensation absolutely should be paid. Why should someone who slips over in Target because they weren't watching where they were going get a massive payout? Or people who knowingly smoke and then get sick and die, be able to successfully sue tobacco companies? Or someone who eats too much McDonalds then be able to sue them for compensation? Nobody seems to have an issue with that.

But a genuine claim for compensation by people who absolutely deserve some is scoffed at? The kind of utter selfishness, gullibility and hypocrisy of people who see such a wonderful event in our history as that apology as a bid for an undeserved payout never ceases to blow me away.

Yes we do. We have very accurate information on who is part of the stolen generations. And again, how do you know that `every Aboriginal' is claiming to be a victim? Are they? Do you know them all? I haven't heard that anywhere. Do you have a link?

It must be very easy to be so condescending and dismissive, when you are coming from a position of it never having happened to you.

If our indiginous populations weren't living in worse conditions than many in the third world, I'm sure it would be easy to, what was it?...`move on with life'.

Your views on this issue are ridiculously narrow and misinformed. Been watching a lot of Today Tonight, have we?

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We've got rules and maps and guns in our backs, but we still can't just behave ourselves. Even if to save our own lives, we are a brutal kind. The Shins

Obviously I am aware that those asking for compensation are, so far, very few. However, that could change. If one person manages to receive compensation, this will pave the way for the rest of them. I just believe the Government should have covered their arse before making the apology.

The majority have, which is obviously proven by the number requesting compensation. Those who have requested compensation, I do not agree with.
Not everyone supported the apology, you know, and I was one of them. I never thought we should have to apologise for something a past Government did. Our current Government was not responsible for the 'Stolen Generation', and I don't feel the Government had the right to make an apology on behalf of all Australians - not when so many were against the apology in the first place.

I only know what I have read, or heard on the news. Perhaps nothing will eventuate? Who knows.
I do clearly remember the Aboriginal man who went to court to claim the interest on the money he was award years earlier. That infuriated me, simply because he received compensation, blew the money, then went back for more.
Of course, he is only one person. I hope other Aboriginals will not attempy the same course of action as he did.

I certainly have an issue with things like this. I think everyone, except the plantiff does, and the lawyers.

Members of the 'Stolen Generation' were removed from their families by force, correct? So are children today. I have heard a few stories - this was after the apology - about Aborignal women who were actually grateful about being removed from their parents, because to stay would mean they likely wouldn't be here today.
I don't believe every child 'stolen' was simply taken because of their skin color. I firmly believe that many were taken simply because they were not receiving adequete care, ie: clothes, food, wellbeing etc. It would hardly be wrong to remove those children, would it? This is something we do everyday, and with good reason.

Being someone who doubts the existance of the 'Stolen Generation' - and I am not the only one - I do not believe that all these children were taken for the reasons that have been stated.

Can it be proven that these children were removed because of skin color? Can it be proven that some children were removed simply because they were not receiving adequete care?

You are entitled to your opinion, as I am entitled to mine. You and I just see the issue differently, is all.

Maybe we do have accurate information, maybe we don't. Whatever the case, I don't support, and would not support, a bid for compensation. That is simply my personal opinion, and it wasn't my opinion to begin with. I was once of the thought that an apology was a wonderful idea. I changed my mind, though, as people do.

I won't say I will not change my mind again, having already changed it. I'll keep an open mind, but for now, I know my feelings on this.

True, but as I said, I doubt the existance of a 'Stolen Generation'.

Much better than a Current Affair, wouldn't you agree?

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Why is it that, as a culture, we are more comfortable seeing two men holding guns than holding hands? ~ Ernest Gaines

What I'd like to know, is why they are NOT entitled to compensation?

Again, I ask why?

They didn't. They very specifically apologised on behalf of the government and parliament ONLY. And he covered the `past' issue as well. Some of the members of parliament today were members of parliament when this happened. So it's still a current issue, in that sense.

Not everyone supported the apology, no. But the very vast majority did, and just about all politicians, too, of all political viewpoints.

Perhaps nothing will. Which is why you were wrong to state that it was `always about money' and that the first thing the Aboriginals did was turn around and demand money.

Yes, he was only one person. There are idiots everywhere.

I don't disagree with this - and it was something that was acknowledged during the apology.

Yes. It was written in the legislature, and quoted by Kevin Rudd during his speech.

What made you change your mind?

For what reasons?

Well, not according to Mercedes Corby.

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We've got rules and maps and guns in our backs, but we still can't just behave ourselves. Even if to save our own lives, we are a brutal kind. The Shins

Because I don't feel our current Government should have to admit responsibility for something that a past Government was responsible for. Offering compensation is basically admitting fault on our behalf, when our Government had nothing to do with the decisions that were made back then.

But should our Government of today have had to apologise on behalf of a past Government? I believe this is the issue that most divided the country.

Hmm, which State are you from, again? Your polls would have been different to the ones shown here, I'd imagine. If I remember correctly, the polls varied day to day, but they seemed to be split down the middle. Not sure about the national polls, though.

I will admit I was wrong in saying that.

Fair enough.

Fair enough again.

I thought about it. I didn't know everything at first, I had supported an apology because I just knew that these people claimed to have been treated unfairly, and I thought they should be compensated for that. Then I began thinking, and reading and hearing what people thought, and many people seemed to think that the Government should not apologise for something a previous Government was responsible for. I could see the logic in that, so I started to sway in my views.
I then started wondering if all Aboriginals claiming to be part of the 'Stolen Generation' were actually part of it all. I began hearing about Aboriginal children taken away for good reasons, like the reasons I have already stated, and I thought those children could not possibly claim to have been 'stolen'.

I ended up seeing both sides, but I felt stronger about not apologising.

Honestly, I am not sure. Obviously, that isn't a good enough excuse, but then, the people who also doubt the existance of the SG don't really have good reason to, eithor. They just do.

I wouldn't go so far as to say that what happened to those people wasn't wrong, and unfair, because if that happened to me, I'd be pretty angry and upset, too. I just dislike calling this time in history a 'Stolen Generation'. Surely there is another name for it?

I don't know if we have evidence to prove that every Aboriginal claiming to be a victim of the SG is actually a victim, but if there is evidence to prove this, that is all well and good, and I will acknowledge that these people were unfairly removed from their homes, but I draw the line at compensation.

She's a very strange woman, that one...

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Why is it that, as a culture, we are more comfortable seeing two men holding guns than holding hands? ~ Ernest Gaines

Perhaps they didn't `have' to - but they chose to. They chose the right path, and the noble and good one. And if that divides people, then that's a shame.

I mean, I'm sorry it happened. Truly, genuinely sorry. That doesn't make me responsible, and being sorry for it doesn't mean I am taking blame. There is nothing wrong with acknowledging that the past acts of the country that you represent were a mistake, and that you are sorry they happened.

But again, Rudd covered this in his speech. There are living members of parliament today who were members of parliament when these policies were established and carried out. So it's still current for today's government.

I get the feeling from some of the things you say that you didn't actually watch the apology? Because many of the objections you raise are things that were covered and put to rest as part of the delivery.

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We've got rules and maps and guns in our backs, but we still can't just behave ourselves. Even if to save our own lives, we are a brutal kind. The Shins

It always amazes me how some people have a problem with apologising for profound acts of injustice and murder that were carried out by previous governments under their name.

Then the next day they hop onto a train to go to work and say sorry to someone for merely brushing up against them at the door way.



(then there is the legal argument of admiting liability to the stolen generations and having to pay compensation. Well, the estimated compensation is around 1 billion dollars. A lot of money that wont heal the wonds but will help in making life better for the victims and their families. Almost as much money the HOWARD governmnet spent of ADVERTISING over the 11 years in office - that was over 2 billion dollars with almost 500 million being spent during the election year of 2007. And its almost as much money the HOWARD government has spent so far on teh ILLEGAL IRAQ INVASION. The liberal party and its supporters have no problem with wasting tax payers money on these sort of illegal and wasteful activities.

BUT when it comes to paying compensation to the indigineous people for taking their land, their lives, and destroying many of their families by stealing their children, the FINANCIAL costs are put up as some sort of massive barrier. And of course we all know why they do that - they actually believe that the governments of the time did nothing wrong and were actually helping the childrn with their arrogant, racist and cruel policies - HOW PATHETIC the road that Howard took this nation on.

Howard's damage to Australia's international reputation will take some decades to repair. We like the USA are basically excremental stench in the eyes and noses of almost every nation on earth - We have a lot of work to do as a nation to heal the crimes of the past

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Supreme Executive for the I.S.S.F

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Why is it that, as a culture, we are more comfortable seeing two men holding guns than holding hands? ~ Ernest Gaines

At least your aboriginals are only demanding money. In Canada its not uncommon for aboriginals to block major highways and railways until they get their land or money from the government. They defraud the welfare system like its all fun and games. I think you guys are lucky your aboriginals are relatively passive.

The Canadian aboriginals already get compensation, on a case by case basis, for past abuses like residential schools where children were forced into Catholic schools for assimilation, and various other abuses. Still, doesn't seem to make them any more content.

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"Conservatives are not necessarily stupid, but most stupid people are conservatives." — John Stuart Mill