{"id":201531,"date":"2018-02-20T14:35:24","date_gmt":"2018-02-20T04:35:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=201531"},"modified":"2023-01-12T17:12:43","modified_gmt":"2023-01-12T07:12:43","slug":"cherbourg-marks-apology-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2018\/02\/20\/cherbourg-marks-apology-day\/","title":{"rendered":"Cherbourg Marks Apology Day"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Heal our past build our future … what will Australia look like when young Christopher, now just three weeks old, has children and grandchildren of his own? Christopher is pictured with his “Big Nan” Cherbourg Elder Lillian Gray and mum Erica Duncan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

February 19, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Cherbourg community marked the 10th anniversary of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s Apology to the Stolen Generations with a special get-together at The Ration Shed last week.<\/p>\n

Families gathered in the open-air meeting place at the end of the building to listen to live entertainment from local musicians Andrew Beckett, Rocko Langton and Steve Hart.<\/p>\n

Guest speaker Eric Law said he never thought he would live to see the day when an Australian Prime Minister would say “sorry”.<\/p>\n

However, he said there were still things to achieve.<\/p>\n

“We need to start doing something ourselves,” he said.<\/p>\n

He urged people to be proud of their culture, and make sure young people get a good education.<\/p>\n

“Without an education they cannot carry on the fight for us,” he said.<\/p>\n

Cherbourg residents listened quietly as James Hopkins read the words that Kevin Rudd said a decade ago in Parliament.<\/p>\n

And just like 10 years ago, there were tears in a few eyes …<\/p>\n

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A documentary exploring what happened on the day of the Apology was shown in The Ration Shed<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Aunty Lillian Gray with Robert “Rocko” Langton and Steve Hart on stage<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/td>\n
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James Hopkins read the words of Kevin Rudd’s Apology … still moving after 10 years<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
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Shirley and Eric Law were part of the crowd gathered in the outdoor arena at the Ration Shed<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Cherbourg Mayor Arnold Murray with Jennifer Bonner and Norman Hegarty<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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The Apology<\/strong><\/h3>\n