Topic

Topic overview

Kevin Rudd’s apology speech focuses on two main topics: the formal apology for Australia’s mistreatment of indigenous peoples, and the future of Australia.

Rudd’s speech is intended to deliver an apology to the indigenous peoples affected by discriminatory practices and policies enacted by Australia’s successive governments and parliaments for the most part of the 20th century. The apology is especially addressed to the Stolen Generations - indigenous children forcibly taken from their families between 1910 and 1970 - and to their families, descendants, and communities.

Rudd also makes an appeal to indigenous people to accept this apology, and he speaks at length about the need to build a future based on unity and equality between all Australians.

While these are the underlying themes of the speech, note that the speaker touches on other subjects such as: acknowledging the state’s responsibility for the mistreatment of indigenous people, apology sceptics and their arguments against an apology, the previous parliament’s refusal to apologise, the social inequality faced by indigenous people today and the need for new policies which would address this issue effectively.

Structure

Kevin Rudd's apology speech has a formal nature and refers to different historical moments in Australia.

Beginning

Kevin Rudd begins his speech with a formal parliamentary phrase – “I move” (l. 1), indicating that the speech is a formal proposal to the Parliament. He continues by briefly...