The Australian Government has formally apologised to members of the indigenous Aborigine population forcibly taken from their homes.

Tens of thousands of Aborigine children were taken from their parents between the 1870s and 1960s under now-abandoned assimilation policies, and placed in orphanages or fostered to introduce them to European culture.

The apology to the 'Stolen Generation' was made in a speech by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd which prompted thousands of Aborigines and other Australians to hug, sob or applaud.

Mr Rudd formally put forth a motion on Wednesday asking parliament to apologise for past policies that "inflicted profound grief, suffering and loss" on Australia's indigenous people.

It continued: "We apologise for the laws and policies of successive parliaments and governments that have inflicted profound grief, suffering and loss on these our fellow Australians."

The apology ends years of divisive debate and a decade of refusals by the previous government, ousted in November elections by Mr Rudd's Labour Party.

Aborigine tennis star Evonne Goolagong-Cawley, who won Wimbledon titles in 1971 and 1980, said: "After all this time it's finally happened and I'm here to support all those mothers who went through so much pain at having their children taken away."

And speaking in Sydney, Aboriginal politician Linda Burney added: "My heart feels like it is going to burst out of my chest."

Aboriginal flags flew on major buildings, including Sydney's Harbour Bridge, or were carried by thousands of others who cheered as Mr Rudd's speech began.

However, aboriginal demands for almost £500 million in reparations for victims have been ruled out.

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