| SYDNEY: Australian Prime Minister Little Johnny Howard, today outlined his reasons for refusing to apologise for the 200 years of racial oppression inflicted on the original owners of Australia. Howard made his address at a luncheon held by the Koolangon Koala Klub in Sydney. Howard stated that although he felt that the actions of earlier Australian Governments towards Aboriginals were unfortunate, he did not see why he should apologise for those that came before him. Howard, who used to star as Ritchie Cunningham in television's Happy Days, said that he personally played no part in the atrocities committed by previous Australian Governments towards the Aboriginal people. "I do not see why I should apologise. I was only a teenager when Aboriginal villages were used as occupied nuclear test sites by the British and Australian Governments. I was too busy studying for exams and practicing Law in the 1950's and 60's to take children away from their families, and more recently I have been too busy with affairs of state to personally kill any Aboriginal prisoners in Police cells in Canberra, let alone elsewhere in Australia." Howard hoped that his refusal to apologise, even in the face of immense international opposition, would let him to be known as a man that stood up for "bigotry, hatred, racism and oppression in the 21st century." Howard went on to assure his audience that he himself was no racist, but he could see why many Australians were. He then spent the next twenty minutes complaining about how the Aboriginal people are lazy, how they don't even try to get jobs and that they spend all their welfare money on alcohol. Howard summed up his address by concluding that "the only bloody decent Abbo (sic) is that bloke Ernie Dingo on that holiday program." Howard's remarks were met with a standing ovation by the audience who were attentive throughout.  Prime Minister John Howard - Smiling for Photographers |
| Howard Refuses to Apologise for Actions of Previous Governments |
Sunday, 01 October 2000 12:00
