Date: 29 November 2007
Auckland 6am: There's mixed reactions from the Aboriginal community to new Aussie prime minister Kevin Rudd.
Rudd swept to power on Saturday, sideswiping Liberal Party leader, John Howard but there's caution from the Aboriginal community.
Some have told Pacific Radio News that Rudd, whose been hailed for speaking Mandarin, is no better than Howard, who sent soldiers and police into the Northern Territory Aboriginal communities, claiming they needed to be controlled because there was widespread child abuse.
But others, like Sydney magistrate, Pat O'Shane, and Sam Watson, a community worker from Brisbane, believe the Rudd administration should be given a chance.
O'Shane says Rudd has already promised to apologise to Aboriginals for the pain and loss suffered at the hands of white Australians and consecutive governments.
She says Australians across the board are happy to see the back of Howard and that the apology will be welcomed in particular by the Stolen Generation. (listen)
Sam Watson is also urging people to allow the Rudd administration to show what it can do to improve the lives of Aboriginals as well as Australia's race relations record. (listen)
But Robbie Thorpe, an Aboriginal activist from Victoria, says the wrongs of the past may be too much for any Australian government to front up to, honestly. (listen)
Sina Brown Davis, a Maori Samoan, from Melbourne, whose been working alongside Aborigines, says both the Labour and Liberal Party have shown their disregard of indigenous communities and can't be trusted. (listen)
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