As the Australian Prime Minister intends to amend the constitution to recognise its indigenous peoples, aboriginal leaders say an official apology for past treatment is necessary. 

Below is an article published by The Times of India:

Aboriginal leaders Friday [12 October 2007] cautiously welcomed Prime Minister John Howard's plan to grant special constitutional recognition to indigenous people but said they still deserved an apology for past wrongs.

Critics also questioned the timing of Howard's push to recognise indigenous people, accusing him of trying to win votes in middle Australia as he trails badly in opinion polls with an election looming.

Howard said late Thursday [11 October 2007] that he would hold a referendum if re-elected on whether to re-write the constitution so its preamble recognised Aborigines' unique position as Australia's first people.

At the same time, Howard admitted making mistakes in his often strained relationship with the Aboriginal community, difficulties reflected in the suspicious reaction of some indigenous groups to his proposal.

"It would seem Mr Howard's actions over 11 years belie his words," the director of the Northern Territory's Central Land Council, David Ross, said.

The New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council said Howard failed to understand that Aborigines needed the government to say sorry for historical grievances, including the seizure of Aboriginal children which went on until the 1970s.

Council chairwoman Bev Manton said Howard was launching a last-ditch attempt to rewrite his failed legacy on Aboriginal issues.

"His continued dismissal of an apology demonstrates this is all about John Howard in the anticipated dying days of his prime ministership, rather than any genuine attempt to reconcile this nation," she said.

Even Aboriginal leaders who accepted the motives behind Howard's referendum proposal were genuine said the conservative leader was wrong to continue to rule out saying sorry.

"Just about every (state) premier ... and just about every mayor in this country has said it and nothing negative has come out of it, it's all been positive," said Warren Mundine, the head of NSW Native Title Services.

"So I'd like him to say that. But, not to be too negative, it's probably a step in the right direction," Mundine told ABC radio.

But Howard said an apology involved "shame and repudiation" of Australia's past, blaming the current generation of the mistakes of their forebears.

He said his proposal allowed reconciliation to take place in a positive way.

"I think to typify this as to whether you do or don't say sorry is to misunderstand what is involved and to trivialise it," he told reporters.