The Prime Minister has apologised for any offence caused by his comments that Australia "did not have slavery", explaining that he was specifically talking about the first New South Wales colony.
On Thursday, in defending the legacy of Captain James Cook, Scott Morrison told radio station 2GB Australia was not founded as a slave colony and that "there was no slavery in Australia".
"Australia, when it was founded as a settlement, as NSW, was on the basis that there be no slavery, while slave ships continued to travel around the world," he said.
"Yeah sure, it was a pretty brutal settlement, my forefathers and foremothers were on the first and second fleets, it was a pretty brutal place, but there was no slavery in Australia."
Speaking after National Cabinet on Friday he clarified the remarks.
"The comments I was referring to was how the New South Wales settlement was first established and the views that were communicated at the time in forming the New South Wales colony," Mr Morrison said.
"One of the principles was to be that Australia, or in that case NSW, was not to have lawful slavery. And that was indeed the case, there was not the laws that have ever approved of slavery in this country.
"My comments were not intended to give offence and if they did I deeply regret that and apologise for that."
The Prime Minister said Federal Parliament had acknowledged the historical mistreatment of Indigenous people and South Sea Islanders, and that ensuring reconciliation and progress on recognition for First Nations peoples was something he was "heavily invested" in.
"I think anyone who has seen my commentary from the very first speech I made in this place, I have had an enduring and committed passion to closing the gap," Mr Morrison said.
"I genuinely don't think there are large divisions when it comes to the issue of acknowledging the treatment of Indigenous Australians in this country."
Comments rebuked by historians
Mr Morrison's original claim brought swift rebuke from many sectors of the community, who pointed to the well-documented practice of trafficking people into low-paid work, often on sugarcane fields, known as blackbirding.
Historian Bruce Pascoe said Captain Cook's influence on subsequent slavery in Australia was limited, but he said the presence of slavery in Australia was indisputable.
"It's pretty obvious that when you chain people up by the neck, and force them to march 300km to work on cattle stations for non-Indigenous barons, that that is slavery," he said.
"It was pretty widespread across the continent."
Labor senator Pat Dodson said on Thursday the history of "indentured labour" in Australia was clear, both of Indigenous and South Sea Islander people.
"They were all indentured labourers on the cane fields and shipped back and thousands of them dropped back on the islands," Senator Dodson said.
"As well as the Aboriginal people who were basically incarcerated, enslaved on pastoral properties under acts which indentured them to these employers without any pay.
"I think whatever Mr Morrison's experience is, he really should have a really serious look at Australian history and understand."
