Subjects: Centenary of Federation
E&OE..................
Archbishop Hollingwoth, John Anderson the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Kim Beazley the Leader of the Opposition, Senator Meg Lees the Leader of the Australian Democrats, other distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen. And may I also acknowledge the Ngunnawal people on whose traditional land this building stands and this very important launch event takes place.
This is in every sense of the word a uniting occasion. It is one of those events that reminds us again that the things that unite us as Australians are much greater, and more enduring, than the things that divide us. It's an occasion for me on behalf of the Government and I know on behalf of everyone here, to already thank Archbishop Hollingwoth, Mr Tony Eggleton, and all the members of the Council for the Centenary of Federation, for the enormous amount of work and inspiration that has gone into preparing our nation for this very important year long event.
We celebrate the centenary of federation at a time when for a combination of reasons, not least of course the very fact that we have reached 100 years as a nation, of growing interest by Australians of all ages and of all backgrounds in the history and the achievement of our country over the last 100 years. The scale of the Australian achievement has been quite remarkable. And as we go through the year commencing on the first of January 2001, we'll have occasion to honour what has been achieved over that 100 years. We'll be able to marvel, and I use the word very deliberately, marvel at the fact that Australia has been one of but a handful of nations which has remained continuously democratic throughout the entirety of the centenary of our existence as a nation.
We'll honour the fact and remember with pride that this country in proportionate terms did as much as any other nation on earth to defend the cause of human liberty and freedom on several occasions during that 100 years. We'll reflect on the Australian achievement, we'll also, if we're sensible, we'll address the short comings and the blemishes, as well as the great scale of the Australian achievement, which by any measure has been quite remarkable. We'll also take the opportunity to think in our own way and talk in our different ways and in different forums, about the values that are uniquely Australian. We'll think of our sense of mateship, we'll think of our capacity, probably unparalleled in the history of the world, of being able to absorb people from more than 140 nations and produce a united country of great harmony and great cohesion. We'll reflect upon the other things that bind us together. And also importantly we'll think about the future. The young people of Australia will play a major role in the celebration of our centenary. Because reflecting on 100 years of achievement and history is not only about honouring the past and respecting the continuing values that we have as a nation, but also projecting about the future.
It is indeed fitting that the events of the first of January 2001 will start at Uluru, thus honouring at the very beginning of the centenary year the first people of the Australian nation. This will be a year for great national pride, not triumphal national pride but nonetheless strong national pride. An unapologetic assertion of what Australia stands for and what Australia believes in. A united honouring across other divides of the bonds that keep us together and the things that we do share in common as Australians.
I also would like to thank Coles Myer, a company in it's various forms and ancestries older than federation itself. It's support a reminder of the constant nourishment that this country has received over the last 100 years from the forces and activities of private enterprise. But ladies and gentlemen this is a fine and memorable occasion for this Great Hall of the national Parliament. It brings together all of the political parties, our divisions and differences put aside in a common love of Australia, a common honouring of our history and a common desire to make the next 100 years even better and more successful than the last.
I promise you on behalf of the Government that we will do all we can to make this a truly memorable year and a wonderful occasion to reflect upon the sheer joy of being an Australian.
Thank you
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