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Thank you very much to Kerry Stokes and Brian Kennedy, Mr Olsen of
Esso, to Mrs Kate Carnell, the Chief Minister of the Australian Capital
Territory, to my two predecessors, John Gorton and Gough Whitlam,
both of whose governments made immense and important contributions
to the enduring place of the arts in the Australian community, to
my Ministerial colleague Richard Alston, who I agree with the Chairman
is an outstanding Arts Minister, you say that he doesn't always
get everything that you ask, that's not the view of the Finance
Minister and the Treasurer, but he is a very committed person of the
arts in Australia, and also I acknowledge the presence of the Chief
Justice of Australia, Sir Gerard and Lady Brennan.
It is a special occasion for Canberra, it is a special occasion for
the National Gallery, and it's a very special occasion for the
place of the arts in the Australian community.
I remember attending, with Janette, fifteen years ago the opening
of this building by Malcolm Fraser. And over the last fifteen years,
through various governments, the arts in their different forms have
flourished in quite a remarkable fashion. And these extensions and
the place of the arts in the Australian community of course have been
contributed to by many people. And I join Brian Kennedy and others
in paying tribute to the work of Betty Churcher, the former Director
of the Gallery, who did play such a significant role in getting so
much of it into place.
I would like to also on behalf of the government, thank Esso, and
through Esso thank all the other companies in Australia, and all the
other individuals in the private sector who make such a contribution
to financing and supporting the arts in its various forms all around
our country. We have developed the habit of philanthropy to a much
greater extent over the last ten or twenty years. But we still have
a distance to go. But there are many similarities that are celebrated
in the exhibition that I am about to open between the experience of
Australia and the experience of the United States. The similarities
in the landscape productions of the two countries are very marked
as you have a look at the exhibition. And of course there are some
very marked differences. One similarity that I would like to see emerge
in greater form is the habit of corporate philanthropy in Australia.
If we could perhaps duplicate what is done in the United States, particularly
in the area of arts, I think it would be something of the United States
well borrowed by the Australian community. But in saying that its
all the more reason why I should emphasis the contribution that is
made by companies such as Esso and AMCOR and many others that have
helped over the years.
This evening I have got the pleasure of launching three things not
one. The exhibition Esso Presents New Worlds from Old, the new exhibition
wing designed by Andrew Andersons, arguably now Australia's finest
temporary exhibition space and of course Fiona Hall's Garden
Sculpture and Water Feature.
It will add enormously to the attraction of Canberra as a tourist
destination. And it will add enormously to the sense of our national
capital as the greatest repository of great national institutions.
And Kate is right when she says it's not only an important occasion
for Canberrans, but it's also an important occasion for all Australians.
It's an opportunity for me on behalf of the government to not
only affirm in the strongest possible language, our ongoing support
for the role not only of the Gallery but of the arts in the life of
Australia and in the activities of our community, but it's also
an opportunity for me to congratulate Kerry Stokes and Brian Kennedy
and all the other members of the board of the Gallery for the way
in which they have acted as good stewards of the resources that have
been given to them by my government and by the government of the ACT.
This exhibition which Janette and I had the privilege of looking at
briefly before coming here, this exhibition celebrates the similarities
in the heritage of our two countries, but it also is a very sharp
reminder of the distinctive qualities of our two societies. And it
is a reminder to any proud Australian, and that of course embraces
all of us here tonight, of the skill and the dexterity and the talent
of our own artists. And it fills me with a great deal of pride to
know that this exhibition, which will put on display so many of the
finest Australian artists will go to many parts of the United States.
Last week I had the opportunity of visiting North East Arnhem Land
and viewing some of the artwork of the indigenous people living in
that part of Australia. And I am therefor particularly pleased to
hear the news about the St Petersburg Exhibition of Australian Indigenous
Art.
In so many ways art does express what we are. Art should not shout
at us, it should speak of us as we are. It should allow us to express
ourselves and it should at all times be a representation to the world
of what Australia is and what Australia has achieved. And as every
year goes by we draw more strength as a community from our artists,
we draw more strength from the reservoir of talent in so many of the
art forms that which is Australia's great good fortune.
The National Gallery has played a very important role in the life
of our society over the past fifteen years. These extensions will
enhance the appeal of the Gallery, they will make it more available
to the Australian community, and all of us who care about the role
of the arts in Australian society must take great heart from the ever
increasing patronage of the arts by average Australians. The way in
which in perhaps a generation and a half the arts have gone from appearing
to be just a possession of a select few or an elite to something that
is accessible to and loved by and favoured by all sections of the
Australian community, is something that I know must bring enormous
pleasure to those people who have devoted their entire lives to promoting
and patronising the arts in Australia.
So ladies and gentlemen, I again congratulate the Gallery on what
it has done. I salute the memory of the artists who have contributed
both as landscape painters in the United States and also in Australia
I thank Esso for its contribution, I particularly congratulate Kerry
and Brian and those that put the exhibition together. And I have enormous
pleasure in declaring open Esso Presents New Worlds from Old, the
new exhibition wing and of course Fiona Hall's Garden Sculpture
and Water Feature.
Thank you.
[Ends]