Australian Government makes Historic Apology to Aborigines

The first act of newly elected Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's Labor government was to proclaim a comprehensive and moving apology to Australia's Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders:
“We apologize especially for the removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families, their communities and their country, for the pain, suffering and hurt of these Stolen Generations, their descendants and for their families left behind, we say sorry.
“To the mothers and the fathers, the brothers and the sisters, for the breaking up of families and communities, we say sorry. And for the indignity and degradation thus inflicted on a proud people and a proud culture, we say sorry.”