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I would like to thank the Minister, Philip Ruddock, his Opposition counterpart, Bob McMullan, and Australian Democrats deputy leader, Senator Aden Ridgeway, for their contributions today. It is now my task, on behalf of ATSIC, to give a response to the plans outlined by the major political parties as to how they would move the stolen generations issue forward.

Welcome to Conference. Thank you for warm welcome, Marjie Cook, and for the opportunity to gather on your land over the next two days to consider the critical issues of identity and justice for the Stolen Generations.

Firstly, with respect I acknowledge that I am here on the Country of the Tharawal People and I say thank you to Marg Cook and other Tharawal members for their warm welcome to participants of this conference on Reparations. A special welcome to my Stolen Generation brothers and sisters and to Commissioner Brian Butler, ATSIC's Social Justice Commissioner who has for many years worked tirelessly…

Acknowledgement of guests from overseas, Parliamentary colleagues, Social Justice Commissioner Mr Bill Jonas, Justice Elizabeth Evatt, ATSIC Commissioners, distinguished guests.

I am pleased to be here today at the Moving Forward: Reparations for the Stolen Generation Conference. I have been following the Moving Forward project by the Public Interest Advocacy Centre, ATSIC and the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission closely and look forward to hearing the outcomes from this project.

Having said that, I thank the organisers for the opportunity to put to you an honest explanation of the government's position on these important matters.

Tena koutou katoa. I have no expert knowledge of the legal or political context in Australia insofar as it applies to indigenous peoples here and even less on the issue of the controversial topic of the stolen generations. It would be utterly inappropriate therefore for me to express any view on the issues particular to this country. What I can do is talk to you a little bit about the process…

The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (‘HREOC’) welcomes the opportunity to make this submission to the Senate Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee for its Inquiry into the Stolen Generations Compensation Bill 2008.

At the outset, I would like to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land we are meeting on here today the Tharawal people. I acknowledge their ancient and continuing cultures, and the role they play in the life of this region. I also acknowledge those gone before us and those here today, who have suffered at the hands of assimilation policies.