Look, we should have said this before, but what happened back then was wrong. Some of it was well intentioned, but it was still the wrong thing to do. We see that now and we also see the scars it has left on so many of you. We want to move on. There’s a lot we can do together, a lot we can achieve to our mutual benefit. But before that can happen we need to say, quite simply as a country, a government, a people, that we’re sorry.

Would that do it?

Perhaps we could use technology. Try one these Hallmark e-card “sorry” options.

Or do we turn, as one does so often in times of crisis, to the work of Elton John:

What have I got to do to make you love me
What have I got to do to make you care
What do I do when lightning strikes me
And I wake to find that you’re not there.

Or you may have a better idea. Come up with an appropriate form of words for a Stolen Generation Apology and send it to boss@crikey.com.au with “apology” in the subject field. If they’re any good we’ll expose your words to a wider audience tomorrow.