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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 6 Hansard (17 June) . . Page.. 1707 ..

MR MOORE (continuing):

It is simply beyond my capacity to understand how people got into that frame of mind, that type of thinking. The thing that worries me most is what other areas we are now operating in where people might look back on us and say, "How could they have acted in such a way?". I think that we ought to look around in all the areas in which we consider the way we act and the way we behave and ask whether we are being fair to all citizens and socially just to all citizens.

It seems to me that social consciousness is being raised in this environment, but the Aboriginal issue still in front of us at the moment is the Wik and Mabo decisions. I wonder whether in 30 years' time people will look back and say, "We ought to be apologising for what governments have done on those issues". I think that there is still such a serious situation in front of us to do with the Aboriginal people that we must be very careful not to put ourselves in that situation.

I am very pleased about paragraph (4) of the motion, which reads:

(4) acknowledges that the Government is negotiating a Regional Agreement with the Ngun(n)awal people in relation to the Ngunnawal Native Title Claim in the ACT ...

Although it gives me an underlying sadness, it gives me pleasure to have the opportunity to join in this apology to indigenous people of Australia.

MRS LITTLEWOOD (6.42): This morning time prevented me from talking on the area that Mr Moore just mentioned. I want to place my views on the record as well. I fully support this morning's motion by Mrs Carnell and the spirit in which it was meant.

MR BERRY (6.42): I would like to read onto the record a letter from a constituent to the Chief Minister in relation to speech pathology. The letter states:

I have recently completed a Smooth Speech course with Speech Pathology under the ACT's Department of Education and Training.

To say that the course was great is an understatement. The therapists providing the course are a credit both to their profession and your Government. The therapists, and indeed all the staff with whom I came in contact, displayed a supportive and caring attitude that ensured the course was effective and far easier for all involved.

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