“We are so fortunate, as Australians, to have among us the oldest continuing cultures in human history. Cultures that link our nation with deepest antiquity. We have Aboriginal rock art in the Kimberley that is as ancient as the great Palaeolithic cave paintings at Altamira and Lascaux in Europe.”
— Kevin Rudd
Author: Kevin Rudd
Category: history
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“Because the time has come, well and truly come, for all peoples of our great country, for all citizens of our great commonwealth, for all Australians – those who are indigenous and those who are not – to come together to reconcile and together build a new future for our nation.”
— Kevin Rudd
Author: Kevin Rudd
Category: future
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“There comes a time in the history of nations when their peoples must become fully reconciled to their past if they are to go forward with confidence to embrace their future.”
— Kevin Rudd
Author: Kevin Rudd
Category: history
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“On Australia Day 2010, as we enter this second decade of the 21st century, Australians can be optimistic about our future, but we cannot afford to mistake optimism for complacency.”
— Kevin Rudd
Author: Kevin Rudd
Category: future
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“To be a member of the Labor Party is to be an optimist – optimistic about the future of Australia, optimistic about the ability of government to make a difference.”
— Kevin Rudd
Author: Kevin Rudd
Category: future
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“The Apology opened the opportunity for a new relationship based on mutual respect and mutual responsibility between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australia. Because without mutual respect and mutual responsibility, the truth is we can achieve very little.”
— Kevin Rudd
Author: Kevin Rudd
Category: respect
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“As nations we should also commit afresh to righting past wrongs. In Australia we began this recently with the first Australians – the oldest continuing culture in human history. On behalf of the Australian Parliament, this year I offered an apology to indigenous Australians for the wrongs they had suffered in the past.”
— Kevin Rudd
Author: Kevin Rudd
Category: history
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“If the states and territories do not sign up to fundamental reform, then my message is equally simple: we will take this reform plan to the people at the next election – along with a referendum by or at that same election to give the Australian Government all the power it needs to reform the health system.”
— Kevin Rudd
Author: Kevin Rudd
Category: health
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“Australia is a nation of compassion. Courage and compassion. And the third of these great values: resilience.”
— Kevin Rudd
Author: Kevin Rudd
Category: courage
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“I deeply believe that if the Australian Labor Party, a party of which I have been a proud member for more than 30 years, is to have the best future for our nation, then it must change fundamentally its culture and to end the power of faceless men. Australia must be governed by the people, not by the factions.”
— Kevin Rudd
Author: Kevin Rudd
Category: future
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“These are important reforms. Infrastructure, education, health, hospitals, closing the gap with indigenous Australians. Also the Apology to the first Australians. As Prime Minister of the country I am proud of each and every one of these achievements.”
— Kevin Rudd
Author: Kevin Rudd
Category: education
Tags: education, Kevin Rudd