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‘Excusing the inexcusable’: justifying injustice in Nelson’s Sorry speech

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA, Brianne.Hastie{at}unisa.edu.au

Political discourses reflect and shape public constructions of past and present events, and social ‘problems’. This article examines how Australia’s Opposition Leader, Brendan Nelson, worked to undermine the attempted reconstruction of the past by the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, through a political apology designed to recognize injustice and reframe the ‘problem’ of Indigenous Australians. This is achieved through two strategies: (1) mitigating blame of those involved in removal of children; and (2) ascribing blame for the current circumstances of some Indigenous peoples to recent events. A number of discursive strategies are drawn upon to accomplish this, allowing Nelson to be seen to apologize, while at the same time justifying the injustices experienced by Indigenous peoples in the past and the present. This research adds to our knowledge of the ways in which resistance to redefinitions of the past are accomplished, by denying Indigenous peoples’ sovereignty and excluding explanations for current disadvantage grounded in the ongoing colonial project.

Key Words: apology • blame • discursive psychology • political rhetoric • race

Discourse & Society, Vol. 20, No. 6, 705-725 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/0957926509342366


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