Intention

Reconciling indigenous and non-indigenous Australians

In the speech, Kevin Rudd apologises for the mistreatment of the indigenous people of Australia, especially for the Stolen Generations, indigenous children forcibly taken away from their families.

To add deeper meaning to his apology, Rudd creates ethos by appealing to his authority as Prime Minister and apologising on behalf of the Parliament and the Government (ll. 179-181). He also uses pathos to make his apology sound sincere by acknowledging the deep pain brought onto the indigenous population by the forced removal of children from their families (ll. 9-16).

The speaker appeals to shared values to explain the need for an apology: “There is a further reason for an apology as well: it is that reconciliation is in fact an expression of a core value of our nation - and that value is a fair go for all” (ll. 155-156). This also helps with Rudd’s intention to make the audience understand why a partnership between all Australians is needed to tackle these important issues.

The speaker is also aware that some oppose or doubt the need for an apology. To convince apology sceptics of the need for an apology, the speaker appeals to their reason and their emotions – he provides statistical facts about the Stolen Generations, which sh...