Audience

The apology speech was delivered by Kevin Rudd in front of the House of Representatives on 13th of February, 2008, to apologise to the indigenous peoples of Australia for the mistreatment suffered as a result of the forced separation of children from their families. The House of Representatives is formed by 150 representatives elected by the Australian people and is the lower of the two houses of Australia’s Commonwealth Parliament, the upper house being the Senate. The government is formed in the House of Representatives.

The speech was broadcast live on television, and people around Australia gathered in large groups in public places where they watched the speech. The speech was generally received with enthusiasm by the public, cheering several times during the broadcast. At the end of the video recording of the speech, you can also notice that the people present in the House of Representatives applaud and cheer after Rudd concludes his speech, suggesting that his speech was well received.

The speech is primarily directed at the indigenous peoples of Australia...