Sitting at my computer in Silicon Valley, California, I was able to watch the national apology on the web. I would have loved to have been there in Parliament House. I know there are some things I would have missed or not felt from this distance. But then, this was a national event played out not just in Parliament but in public squares and workplaces throughout the nation, and in cyberspace.
I had just got off the phone from an Aboriginal friend who told me she would be watching the telecast at home. She wanted privacy, but was pleased that the words of apology released the previous day were 'about right', setting the right tone, respectfully, graciously, and strongly.
The process leading up to this apology was right. The compassionate Jenny Macklin consulted widely in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. A cross section of the 'Stolen Generations' sat down with the new government to tell their stories and assist with appropriate words.
Not only did the prime minister touch all necessary institutional consultative bases, he took the time to sit with Nanna Nungala Fejo and her family. He heard her story then shared it reverently with the nation. This 'elegant, eloquent and wonderful woman in her 80s full of life, full of funny stories, despite what has happened in her life journey' became the human face for the nation trying to get right this gesture of reconciliation.
The parliament, its galleries packed with indigenous Australians and their supporters, carried the pain, the stories, the apology, and the gratitude that at last the word 'Sorry' had resounded in the chamber, with support on both sides of the aisle. Only once before, in 1991 with the institution of the Council of Aboriginal Reconciliation, was there a show of bipartisan support in the parliament. This time it was not left just to the ministers. The prime minister and the leader of the opposition shook hands across the despatch box while all members present stood.
I now know many Australians in public squares stood and turned their backs on Brendan Nelson. Some members of the Stolen Generations were offended. With great respect, I beg to differ. I think he did well. He had brought the Liberal and National Parties with him, ensuring they did not rain on the national parade as they had in 1988 and again in 1997. He trusted both