On Thursday 26 August 1999 the Australian Prime Minister, Mr John Howard, moved a Motion of Reconciliation, which included an expression of "deep and sincere regret that indigenous Australians suffered injustices under the practices of past generations, and for the hurt and trauma that many indigenous people continue to feel as a consequence of those practices." The opposition leader, Kim Beazley, moved to replace Mr Howard's motion of regret with an unreserved apology, but was unsuccessful (“unreservedly apologises to indigenous Australians for the injustice they have suffered, and for the hurt and trauma that many indigenous people continue to suffer as a consequence of that injustice; [and] calls for the establishment of appropriate processes to provide justice and restitution to members of the stolen generation through consultation, conciliation and negotiation rather than requiring indigenous Australians to engage in adversarial litigation in which they are forced to relive the pain and trauma of their past suffering�).
Motion carried without dissent.
No particular event held.
On 26 May 1999 the Queensland Premier, Peter Beattie, issued a parliamentary statement that included the following words: "This house recognises the critical importance to Indigenous Australians and the wider community of a continuing reconciliation process, based on an understanding of, and frank apologies for, what has gone wrong in the past and total commitment to equal respect in the future."
Motion carried in the affirmative.
No particular event held.
On 27 May 1997 the Western Australian Premier, Richard Court, issued a parliamentary statement using the words: "It is appropriate that this House show respect for Aboriginal families that have been forcibly separated as a consequence of government policy in the past, by observing a period of silence." Members stood for one minute silence. The next day the leader of the Western Australian opposition moved: "that this House apologises to the Aboriginal people on behalf of all Western Australians for the past policies under which Aboriginal children were removed from their families and expresses deep regret at the hurt and distress that this caused" (motion carried)
Motion carried without dissent.
No particular event held.
On 28 May 1997 the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Dean Brown, issued a parliamentary apology on behalf of the people of South Australia that included the words: "the South Australian Parliament expresses its deep and sincere regret at the forced separation of some Aboriginal children from their families and homes which occurred prior to 1964, apologises to these Aboriginal people for these past actions and reaffirms its support for reconciliation between all
Motion carried without dissent.
No particular event held.
On 17 June 1997 the Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory, Kate Carnell, moved a motion in the Territory Assembly that included the words: "that this Assembly apologises to the Ngunawal people and other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the ACT for the hurt and distress inflicted upon any people as a result of the separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families."
Motion carried in the affirmative.
No particular event held.
On 18 June 1997 Bob Carr, Premier of New South Wales issued an apology on behalf of the people of NSW that included the words: "apologises unreservedly to the Aboriginal people of Australia for the systematic separation of generations of Aboriginal children from their parents, families and communities".
Motion carried without dissent.
Address given to the parliament, before commencement of formal debate on the motion, by Ms Nancy de Vries, a member of the stolen generation of NSW.
On 13 August 1997 the Tasmanian Premier, Tony Rundle, moved a parliamentary motion that included the words: "That this Parliament, on behalf of all Tasmanians, expresses its deep and sincere regrets at the hurt and distress caused by past policies under which Aboriginal children were removed from their families and homes, apologies to the Aboriginal people for those past actions and reaffirms its support for reconciliation between all Australians."
Motion carried without dissent.
Address given to the House after the conclusion of the debate by Ms Annette Peardon, a member of the stolen generation of Tasmania.
On 17 September 1997 the Premier of Victoria, Mr Jeff Kennett, moved a parliamentary motion that included the words: ""That this House apologises to the Aboriginal people on behalf of all Victorians for the past policies under which Aboriginal children were removed from their families and expresses deep regret at the hurt and distress this has caused and reaffirms its support for reconciliation between all Australians." Motion carried without dissent.
No particular event held.
On 24 October 2001 Ms MARTIN (Chief Minister) moved in the words including “That this Assembly apologises to Territorians who were removed from their families under the authority of the Commonwealth Aboriginals Ordinance and placed in institutional or foster care�
Motion carried in the affirmative.
No particular event held.