CANBERRA—Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says an apology to indigenous Australians will aim to "bridge the gap" with non-indigenous Australians rather than providing any compensation.
Mr Rudd has promised to say sorry to Aborigines for past injustices, reversing an 11-year policy under the previous conservative Government that damaged race relations.
However, the Government is still trying to work out the details of the highly sensitive apology and Mr Rudd remained coy today.
"The key thing is to build a bridge with indigenous Australia through an apology, through saying sorry because that bridge is halfway to respect, to restoring respect," the Prime Minister told reporters in Canberra.
Mr Rudd said compensation did not need to be part of the reconciliation efforts.
"I've always said that for us we can do that in the absence of any compensation arrangements," he said.
"I think the key thing is to build a bridge of respect between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians rather than sweep that to one side."
Mr Rudd said the Government's top priorities in achieving reconciliation include improving indigenous health and indigenous education and ensuring the protection of children.
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