Central Land Council

Gesture can be the start of something new

“The last thing we want is racially discriminatory practises in place and we’d hope that those sorts of issues wouldn’t be returning to Australia but we have it sitting here in the Northern Territory at the moment.”

For Harold Furber, the Federal Government’s apology to the Stolen Generations was a momentous occasion, but it’s not the end of the struggle for equal rights. There’s still more work to be done.

“For me I guess it was a lot of things,” Mr Furber said. “It was emotional. It all came together and the sense of relief that this was all finally being acknowledged at the highest level. For me, I was humbled by being caught up in it. I think it was an historical day."

Harold said the apology must be used as a catalyst for overcoming Aboriginal disadvantage.

“With the reality of life I guess there is that concern that that euphoria, that goodwill might not be carried forward as much as a lot of us hoped.

“Whether that can be sustained obviously is another question,” Harold said.

“Right now we have in the Northern Territory the intervention and there’s obviously bits and pieces we agree with and obviously there’s bits we don’t but while it sits there with the Racial Discrimination Act being set aside there’s clearly a problem. Clearly a problem.

“I was taken away from Alice Springs here along with my sister. Some might argue it was for my benefit. That’s fine. A couple of problems with that. Big sister left behind, didn’t know, came home from school, we were gone.

“Grandmother who was looking after us came home from hospital or medical attention in Adelaide – found out we were gone.

“We got sent to Croker Island in Western Arnhem Land. Little sister then taken away within 12 months to Queensland. I’m still there. I’m still there for the duration. Now, I’m not too sure how that was all for our benefit," Mr Furber said..

“Hopefully those people who are in denial or don’t understand the issues will seek in their hearts and minds some way of trying to understand it.

“It’s only them who can do it.”