30 September 1999
E&OE……………………………………………………………………………………….
Well, thank you very much, Bronwyn; to my other Parliamentary colleagues, ladies and gentlemen. It’s a real delight to be here tonight. It’s quite a humbling experience to hear the stories of these quite remarkable Australians, to be reminded of the massive contribution that Australians of their generation have made to the building of the modern Australia.
In a couple of year’s time we’re going to spend a whole year celebrating 100 years of the Australian nation. And, in a sense, you’ve seen tonight a microcosm of that 100 years. You’ve had read out to you the stories, the achievements, the commitment and the goals of a remarkable and special group of people. And as I listen to each story, as I listen to each citation, a number of things came through - the simple virtues of love of country, of commitment to one’s family, of a desire to improve a community, a desire to care and to help, a commitment to tolerance and openness and decency, all of those values which are ageless to all Australians and to all generations of Australians.
Great national values are ageless. It is as relevant today as it was 100 years ago to be patriotic, to be civil, to respect difference, to understand the need for tolerance between different generations, to teach the young an understanding of the contribution of older people and to encourage within the entire community a desire to work together and display compassion towards each other.
The people we honour tonight have lived through the great defining moments of Australia this century. They’ve lived through depressions. They’ve lived through war. They’ve experienced the exhilaration of post-war rebuilding and construction. They’ve embraced the great waves of migration that have come to this country and changed it for the better. They have shared with their children and grandchildren the joys and the adventure of the information age. And they join us tonight to celebrate together and to put on display their own contribution to the collective Australian achievement of the last 100 years. And I am very honoured, as Prime Minister, I am very proud as Prime Minister, to know that we have within our midst a remarkable group of people whose sheer love of life and vitality is an inspiration to all of us. And I think every one of us, as we heard those citations read, would have been overwhelmed with admiration and awe at the energy and vitality and the contribution that those people are making.
Bronwyn is absolutely right in saying that it is long overdue that we honour the contribution of senior Australians. And can I, on behalf of other Australians, simply say to you, the senior achievers who’ve received awards and recognitions tonight, and through you to the entire generation of Australians that you so impressively represent, can I thank you very sincerely on behalf of your fellow country men and women for the contribution that you have made to making Australia such a wonderful country in which to live.
We owe you an immense debt. The Australia we enjoy today, the Australia that gave me so many opportunities and has given my children so many opportunities would not have been possible without the commitment and the loyalty and the dedication of you and the other members of your generation.
The award that we inaugurate tonight will become an ongoing national award administered by the National Australia Day Council. And I now have great pleasure in announcing that this year’s Senior Australian of the Year is Slim Dusty.
[APPLAUSE]
Well, ladies and gentlemen, as is apparent from that response over the years Slim Dusty has earned for himself the warmth and affection of generations of Australians. From the age of eleven when David Gordon Kilpatrick became Slim Dusty he captured the Australian character and the special place of the bush in our national life. In a career spanning more than 50 years Slim continues to do what he loves at the age of 72. His incredible resilience is demonstrated by the release of his 99th album just two months after open-heart surgery this year and his determination to add to his five million sales in this country by releasing his 100th album next year.
Slim is synonymous with country music. He spearheaded the development of the Country Music Association of Australia and has been chairman since its foundation. Among his accolades are more than 30 golden guitars as well as more gold and platinum records and ARIA awards than any other Australian. He was one of the first six inductees to the ARIA Hall of Fame, was awarded an MBE for his service to entertainment and he’s this year’s Father of the Year. Slim is also renowned for his willingness to give back to the community that has supported his music in such large numbers. The Heart Foundation is just one of the many bodies that has gained from his philanthropic gestures. Slim Dusty is a truly worthy recipient of this year’s award for the senior Australian.
[Ends]