CANBERRA–Millions of Australians will never entertain saying sorry to Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders because they think there is nothing to apologise about, Prime Minister John Howard says.
Mr Howard has promised to hold a referendum within 18 months, if re-elected, on formally recognising indigenous Australians in the constitution.
Indigenous groups view the promise as a step in the right direction but say reconciliation will not be achieved unless Mr Howard apologises on behalf of non-indigenous Australians for past treatment.
But the prime minister today ruled out an apology, saying millions of non-indigenous people would never entertain such a thing.
"I have always supported reconciliation but not of the apologetic, shame-laden, guilt-ridden type," Mr Howard told Southern Cross Broadcasting in Melbourne.
"I think in the past we have become obsessed with things like apologies and there are millions of Australians who will never entertain an apology because they don't believe that there is anything to apologise for.
"They are sorry for past mistreatment but that is different from assuming responsibility for it."
Mr Howard rejected suggestions he should have moved earlier, crediting his government's Northern Territory intervention as a catalyst for change in public opinion on indigenous affairs.
"The attitude towards this issue was still at what I call the old approach and the old approach was that you couldn't achieve anything without first having an apology," he said.
"I think think what the Northern Territory intervention has done is to act as a watershed in the whole approach to indigenous affairs."
Mr Howard said people now realised any notion of a treaty or trying to separate indigenous people from mainstream Australia was wrong.
"The way to help them is to incorporate them into the mainstream of the community but still to recognise because they were the first inhabitants of this country, that they do have a special place in our nation and they have a special place in our history," he said.
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