One of the most significant acts of symbolism in our history will take place on 13th February when the Prime Minister will say "Sorry" to the Stolen Generation. The Stolen Generation is a collective term for the aboriginal children who were taken forcibly from their families and sent to institutions or to the homes of white families. Many terrible abuses occurred under this system which was operating as late as the 1970's.

I think that many Australians at the time thought that they were giving these children a helping hand, but history has shown that we have reaped a terrible harvest of drug and alcohol addiction, mental illness, domestic violence and perpetual cycles of child abuse amongst our indigenous people.

One of John Howard's big mistakes in government was to refuse to say "Sorry". It's good to see that new PM Kevin Rudd is wasting no time in settling this issue.

I think he is right also to say there will be no financial compensation to individuals. The real need is to provide services such as health, education and economic development to aboriginal communities so that the shameful inequalities between black and white populations are reduced.

While saying "Sorry" won't fix the problems, there is a big step of reconciliation and healing that takes place when people admit that they have hurt others.