CANBERRA, Feb. 13 -- The Australian House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a motion tabled earlier by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd concerning the national apology to the indigenous people for their profound grief, suffering and loss caused by the past government policies.

"We apologize for the laws and policies of successive parliaments and governments that have inflicted profound grief, suffering and loss on these our fellow Australians," Rudd said in reading from the motion at the parliament.

The apology was to the tens of thousands of Aborigines who were forcibly taken from their families as children under now abandoned assimilation policies.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-02/13/content_7594374.htm
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23141944/

@topic

I see this as a good move, but i'm worried that it might be a mere lip service as this people will still be discriminated against.
Or is Kevin Rudd the prime minister just trying to gain support?
Do you think this move is geniune?
What's next?

Meanwhile a group is making move to sue the australians.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080215/ap_on_re_au_an/australia_aborigines