On 10th of December 1992, Paul Keating delivered the Redfern address, which was an oratorical moment in Australians history as it managed to capture in explicit terms, the harsh truths about Australian history, and to use them as a basis for building trust in the government's motives among Indigenous Australians. On the 13th of Febuary 2008, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd delivered the national apology to the indigenous people of Australia, otherwise known as the "stolen generation." Kevin Rudd recognized the challenges faced by Australia's indigenous population and the negative impacts of European settlement on Australia's Indigenous communities and reiterates his intentions to equalise the opportunities for all Australians, regardless of their origin. Both speeches given by former Australian prime ministers attempt to reconcile with the indigenous people of Australia. This paper will analyse the meaning of term reconciliation using both Paul Keatings Redfern speech and Kevin Rudds national apology and how they have influenced Australia's history. Reconciliation, specifically in an Australian context, is the term used to refer to the bringing together of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, or Indigenous, and non-Indigenous Australians. Reconciliation is about unity and respect between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. It is about respect for Indigenous heritage and valuing justice and equity for all Australians. Finally, the impact of both the Redfern address and Sorry Day speech on race relations in Australia was paramount as they both have helped with the process of reconciling and 'closing the gap' between Indigenous and non-indigenous people of Australia. .
Paul Keatings Redfern speech was delivered on the 10 December 1992 at Redfern Park in New South Wales, just a few kilometers away from where James Cook and his crew of 1350 sailed into Australia in 1788.
