5 July 2000

'Sorry' motion in House of Commons

On the day that Australian Prime Minister John Howard visited the House of Commons to hear warm words from Tony Blair and William Hague, a Labour MP tabled a motion apologising to Aboriginal people for past British policies and calling on Australian Governments to redress current discrimination.

The text of Jermey Corbyn's Early Day Motion is as follows (our indents):

'That this House

• notes the official visit to the United kingdom of the Prime Minister of Australia and the celebrations to mark Australia Week 2000.
• acknowledges the close ties between the peoples of the United Kingdom and Australia as Commonwealth partners, in war and peace, in trade, sport and professional cooperation;
• however, also notes that Aboriginal and Islander peoples of Australia have little celebrate, that their life expectance is 17 years less than other Australians and their infant mortality is twice as high;
• acknowledges the oppression and injustices inflicted on aboriginal peoples and apologises for the suffering caused by past British policies;
• further acknowledges current discrimination and disadvantage suffered by Aboriginal peoples in health, education, job opportunities and provision of public services;
• and therefore calls on the Governments and peoples of Australia to mark the Centenary of Federation by committing themselves to redress that discrimination and disadvantage, and to recognise the special status and rights of Aboriginal peoples as the indigenous peoples of Australia.'

The Motion is now open for signature by other Members.

Early Day Motions are a powerful statement and record MP's views on issues of current concern. They are not debated or voted on.

Note: Media release issued by European Network for Indigenous Australian Rights (ENIAR), a UK based ANTaR network of individuals and organisations committed to human rights and social justice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.