New Year's Message
to be released on New Year's Eve ( embargoed 6am 1/ 1/ 97)
New Year's Day is one of our national days which provides a good
opportunity to remember how lucky we all are to be Australians.
I have long believed that those things which we all have in common as
Australians and binds our nation together are far more important and
enduring than our differences, those things which push us apart. Our
national traditions of tolerance, freedom, openness, democracy and a fair
go, with a hint of scepticism mixed in for good measure, bind us all
together. We were well served by our common values and traditions when
Australia started off on the road of independent nationhood. Those same
enduring values will continue to strengthen and develop our country as we
move beyond the dawn of the next century.
Australians can stand proudly for our nation and our achievements, ranging
from the cultural to those on the sporting field. As President Clinton
remarked when he and Mrs Clinton visited us not so long ago, Australia's
achievements are far out of proportion to our population. Not that we
won't continue to grow and improve we have only started to discover our
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potential. But the enduring values and traditions which make up our
national psyche will help guide a future which can seem hazy and
uncertain. We are all tremendously fortunate to live in a naturally beautiful land
whose natural wonders and cities and regional towns offer an enormous
range of lifestyles and leisure options. We can be proud that our way is to
ensure that all Australians, irrespective of their race, colour, beliefs or
country of origin, are accorded respect and dignity as individuals and are
given an equal entitlement to achieve their aspirations, free from
intimidation. There are regrettably few countries which can boast
Australia's great record of upholding freedom of speech, religion and
association. There will always be room for us to improve ourselves and our nation
indigenous Australians come particularly to mind. But all Australians can
be safe in the knowledge that we move towards the new millennium our
rich traditions and common values which will continue to bind us together
and keep Australia great.