Murray Olds: Australian correspondent on Victoria issuing an apology for colonisation

The Australian state of Victoria will be formally apologising to indigenous people for colonisation next month.

The symbolic action will be delivered by State Premier Jacinta Allan - acknowledging ongoing harm and injustices and land being taken without consent.

Australian correspondent Murray Olds says this comes after a first-nations Justice Commission report recommended 100 actions - and more changes will be made as a result.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
International correspondence with Ends and Eye Insurance, Peace of mind
for New Zealand business, Mariel's.

Speaker 2 (00:07):
Argo correspondence with us right now heymas.

Speaker 1 (00:09):
And very good afternoon, Heaven.

Speaker 2 (00:11):
So tell me more about the Victorian government apologizing for colonization.

Speaker 1 (00:15):
Yeah, this is being reported over here this afternoon by
Sky News. Has been a news release from the government
saying that yes, an apology will be made formal apology
in the Parliament to indigenous people from Victoria. The apology
will be made for quote the harm inflicted upon them
through the actions and inactions of the state and the

(00:38):
colony that came before it. Now, the apology is a
key recommendation of the europe It's called a europe Justice Commission,
and it was a key part of the treaty that
was recently signed to law a couple of weeks back now,
the first such treaty in Australian history ever, and it
does formally acknowledge past and justice. It sets up new

(01:00):
institutions for accountability and telling the truth about what really
happened centuries ago. And basically it allows First Nations people
to actually have a bit more of a say in
the decision making that directly affects them. Now, critics are
all over this. I was wishy washy, you know, it's
just it's that it's the federal decision that was knocked

(01:22):
back by the people. But at the state level, the
supporters say, it's actually a wonderful achievement, the great outcome
and the process that started here the back in twenty sixteen,
the state governments also committed to including a whole bunch
of new stuff in the education curriculum, which I suppose

(01:42):
in a way that mirrors what's happened in New Zealand
in terms of using traditional names, indigenous names for areas,
for regions, for waterways and the like, and other measures
to basically improve outcomes for Victoria's Aboriginal people. So I
suppose the proof's going to be in the eating right there, pudding.

(02:03):
It looks pretty nice according to the supporters, But let's
see how it actually young.

Speaker 2 (02:07):
But so are they. So it's not so much that
the apologizing for colonization. They're apologizing for what they consider
to be the evils that were done in the process
of colonization very much.

Speaker 1 (02:19):
So, yeah, what's my interpretation of it. I mean, that's
the way the treaty reads that. Yes, I mean, you know,
I mean, but James Cook, the first fleet was not
the first people in Australia. They've been there for sixty
five thousand years. And the you know, the Europeans who
arrived on the first eleven ships, most of them convicts.

(02:40):
It was the start of you know, many people say oppression,
the start of dispossession of land and waterways and the
things that matter to Indigenous Australians. So it's a very
divisive issue, as you might expect. Those and the rights say, oh,
it's buddy nonsense, it's rubbish those who are more progressive.
So it's actually it's a very good thing. It's a

(03:01):
good thing the state can acknowledge past injustice. So it
just remains to be seen how this, you know, I mean,
how's it going to play out?

Speaker 2 (03:08):
That's what we all want to Yeah, yeah, you're right,
We've got to see the wording of the thing to
really judge it. Now, what's happened to Barnaby Joyce that
he hasn't gone off with his girlfriend Pauline?

Speaker 1 (03:17):
Well, she cooked a misteak dinner the other night in
the sandwich maker, would you believe it?

Speaker 2 (03:22):
Yeah, of course.

Speaker 1 (03:24):
Sandwich. But be that as it may. Yes, he is
now formally ended. He's been in Parliament twenty years. He
is one of the safest seats in Australia. The people
of Northern New South Wales and his seat, and you
that they love him even though he's a fair nakhm.
You're thinking a guy's just a lunatic. And I mean

(03:45):
even as one of his own supporters when it was
closest mates in Parliament accused him the other day of
having attention deficit syndrome. I mean, he just wasn't being
talked about enough. So, yes, he's quit after twenty years
with the Nationals. He's going to defect from the party.
Looks like he's going to sit as an independent for
the moment. He'll keep trailing his coat with Pauline looking

(04:05):
for a headline here and there. Anyway, it's it's what's
it matter. I mean, the guys that has been really
I mean, his people up in his electorate love him.
No one in Parliament does. He's just a bit of
a joke, sad joke, sadly maz.

Speaker 2 (04:20):
Thank you, I appreciate it. I'm looking forward to seeing
how that goes down with the two of them, Murray
Old's Australia correspondent. For more from Hither Duplessy, Allen Drive,
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