Saying sorry to Indigenous Australians

[Rietie]

The whole entire school watched the telecast but it cut out before Nelson began talking

I would have laughed at whatever he would have said. And go the PM. A brilliant speech... I had a few tears in my eyes.

[brendan]

Brendan Nelson: "Our generation does not own these actions, nor should it feel guilt for what was done in many, but not all cases, with the best of intentions... Even when motivated by inherent humanity and decency to reach out to the dispossessed in extreme adversity, our actions can have unintended outcomes."

It is said that the road to hell is paved with good intentions and Ronald Reagan once said that the "The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help".

But this is not a problem of a particular government in a particular time. It is inherent in every government because of the nature government itself:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/20/magazine/20wwln-freak-t.html?_r=1&oref=slogin&ref=magazine&pagewanted=all
http://www.marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2008/01/the-law-of-unin.html

The effects government intervention done in the name helping a particular social group almost always, and ironically, end up harming the very people that they were trying to help in the first place. This is true of the government policies of yesterday and today. It is ironic that the government of today is apolizing for the well-intentioned but disasterous consequences of past government internvention whilst introducing laws to re-regulate the labour market that will almost certainly harm the very people it intends to benefit.

[brendan]

Brendan Nelson's speech: http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/bfull-textb-brendan-nelsons-speech/2008/02/13/1202760363287.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1

I was disappointed with Nelson when he claimed, "there should be no guilt".

Brendan Nelson was right to say "Our generation does not own these actions, nor should it feel guilt for what was done".

That does not mean we cannot empathize, have compassion and understanding. Nor does it mean that we cannot feel anger and disgust at the past actions of the Commonwealth and State governments.

[Eriny]

The effects government intervention done in the name helping a particular social group almost always, and ironically, end up harming the very people that they were trying to help in the first place. This is true of the government policies of yesterday and today. It is ironic that the government of today is apolizing for the well-intentioned but disasterous consequences of past government internvention whilst introducing laws to re-regulate the labour market that will almost certainly harm the very people it intends to benefit.

Almost always? Have you looked at every instance of government intervention and documented whether or not the effect was positive or negative? Furthermore, doesn't almost any action have both positive and negative effects? I'll admit many instances of government intervention have gone wrong, particularly in non-democratic societies, but I disagree with the assertion that therefore, all intervention is bad. In a way, I think we're all responsible for making sure that government intervention is good, for we are all citizens in a democratic nation. We need to be aware that it is our collective influence that determines policy decisions and it's our duty to make sure that we use our influence so that those policy decisions are wise and ultimately beneficial, knowing what we know about governments getting it wrong. This happened today with the people demanding of the government that they say sorry and further intervention will be required in the future to erase the discrimination suffered by the Indigenous people of Australia. I suppose that is essentially using intervention to erase the effects of intervention, but I think even if you ignore the problems associated with the stolen generation, Aboriginal people have gotten a pretty raw deal as they were forgotten about by the conscious of the public.

And Regan was the guy who tightened America's "war on drugs". I think he was fine with government intervention, as long as it couldn't be construed as communism

[Collin Li]

I would have laughed at whatever he would have said.

That's just plain ignorance. Brendan Nelson isn't the typical right-wing conservative you think he is.

[Collin Li]

And Regan was the guy who tightened America's "war on drugs". I think he was fine with government intervention, as long as it couldn't be construed as communism

Here you attack the messenger instead of the message. You can still appreciate the quote. Kevin Rudd isn't for compensation, and he will not use government intervention to reimburse Aboriginals - but I don't see you disqualifying Kevin Rudd's speech.

[brendan]

Furthermore, doesn't almost any action have both positive and negative effects?

Yes, and that was my point that most government programs have done more harm than good.

[Eriny]

And Regan was the guy who tightened America's "war on drugs". I think he was fine with government intervention, as long as it couldn't be construed as communism

Here you attack the messenger instead of the message. You can still appreciate the quote. Kevin Rudd isn't for compensation, and he will not use government intervention to reimburse Aboriginals - but I don't see you disqualifying Kevin Rudd's speech.

Lighten up, I was just joking around, as denoted by the "" (honestly, it's so difficult to joke on the internet, I should probably stop trying).

Anyway, I'm not disqualifying Kevin Rudd's speech because I don't have a problem with it... I don't really understand what you mean.

[Collin Li]

I meant that Kevin Rudd holds a position that you don't agree with (like how I don't agree with Reagan's tightening of the War on Drugs), but we can still appreciate facets of what they say.

[Eriny]

oh, okay. Sorry for that.

On compensation, I don't actually know if K-Rudd is for or against compensation I haven't read anything either way apart from him maintaining that questions of compensation should be seperate from the actual apology. If he abides by the Bringing Them Home report, then there will be some form of compensation. The states may take care of that though, as I said before Tasmania has a fund already, and they were saying this morning that WA has one too (which actually covers more people than the stolen generation). I don't think compensation is the most important thing though. I mean, if people can prove they deserve it, I'm all for it, but I'd be really disappointed if that's the only thing that happened, I'd like to see way more empowering policies than that.

[Collin Li]

The most empowering policy, in my opinion, would be to stop this collectivist classification of Aboriginal people as part of this group, and to look at them as unique individuals like you and I. Special treatment of Aborigines is racist, whether it is positive or negative treatment.

[brendan]

I don't actually know if K-Rudd is for or against compensation

he isn't

[costargh]

I don't actually know if K-Rudd is for or against compensation

he isn't

good

[droodles]

ROFL AGE FRONT ON WEBSITE

[costargh]

If they want compensation, the government will merely subtract all compensation being given from the money they will allocate to try and bridge the health, education and social gaps between aboriginals and other Australians. I know which outcome would be my desire.