Sydney, Feb. 10: The Australian government is still finalising the wording of the parliamentary apology to the stolen generations of Aborigines just three days out from the historic event.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd today said it was crucial for his government to get the wording right. "Otherwise next Wednesday is a wasted event," he told the Nine Network today.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Rudd met an elderly member of the stolen generations on Saturday and spent about an hour and a half just listening to her story.

Rudd said he wanted non-indigenous Australians this week to consider the questions: "What if that was me, how would I feel?"

Rudd said he thought there was an "overwhelming desire" among most Australians for the apology.

He also confirmed that the commonwealth, in partnership with the states and territories, would pay for about 100 members of the stolen generations to come to Canberra for the apology.

Asked if he was disappointed that former prime minister John Howard would not come to Canberra for the apology, Mr Rudd said: "If Mr Howard could make it that would be a great thing, but I do note that we may not have all the former Labor prime ministers there." (ANI)