The "Apology to Australia's Indigenous Peoples" in its historical context

The chapter examines the Rudd Apology that was offered to ‘Australia’s Indigenous Peoples’ in 2008. The approach is to analyze the Apology in its historical context. In offering the Apology, Rudd distinguished himself from his predecessor, John Howard, who had refused to make an apology. Nevertheless, Rudd’s approach did not capture the full meaning of the wrongdoing as understood by Indigenous peoples. Consequently, it did not lead to a just resolution of their longstanding claims for justice. As an example of state-sponsored history, the Apology reflects what the government under Rudd was prepared to accept was wrong. In taking this approach the Apology may have contributed to Australian nation building, but in doing so it left the dominant hegemonic order of the settler-colonized state undisturbed.