Prime Minister Scott Morrison apologized for saying “there was no slavery” in Australia after his comments provoked indignation and accusations that he ignored the history of forced labor in the country, CNN reported.

Speaking at a press conference in Canberra, Morrison said: "My comments were not intended to give offense, and if they did, I deeply regret that and apologize for that," he said, adding that he was a passionate advocate for the rights of Indigenous Australians."

"I was simply trying to make point that Australia, yes, we have had issues in our history, we have acknowledged them, I have acknowledged them, and we need to address them."

Earlier, Morrison spoke about the Black Lives Matter protests and calls to remove statues of British explorer James Cook, whose arrival in Australia paved the way for the first European colony. 

"My forefathers and foremothers were on the First and Second Fleets (of convict settlers). It was a pretty brutal place, but there was no slavery in Australia," Morrison said in the interview Thursday.