E&OE...
Well thank you very much Stuart for your warm words of introduction. Councillor Pat Morris, the Mayor of Gosnells, Marie Taylor; thank you very much for that very warm and generous welcome, ladies and gentlemen.
It is nice to be back in Gosnells and it's also very nice to be associated with an event which focuses on the local history of a particular part of Australia. History, particularly Australian history is a bit of a preoccupation of mine. I think we've fallen into bad habits about Australian history over the last generation. I think we've lost the art, to a very large extent, of telling the Australian story as a narrative and as a story of achievement as well as of course a story that contains its blemishes and its negative aspects. But it is true as the old saying goes that how can we possibly properly chart the future of this country unless we have a true understanding of where we have come from.
And that is why at a national level I have been pushing very hard to have restored to the school curricula at the various state education department levels the teaching of Australian history with a proper sense of perspective and a proper narrative. Part of understanding the national story is to understand the local story and I am delighted that there is a focus, as demonstrated by the posters that are here, the displays that are here, there is a focus on the 100 years of the history of this part of Australia.
We are a wonderfully homogenous people. We, for all of the differences we have and the enormous distances that is represented by the Australian continent, there is a remarkable consistency and a pleasing similarity in outlook and attitude and mood of Australians as I find as I move around the country day after day, week after week and meet different groups in different parts of our nation. But for all of that wonderful harmony and consistency, there are shades and subtleties and differences and they're nice and they ought to be preserved and they ought to be remembered. And part of what this city is doing is, particularly in its centenary year, is recalling what Gosnells was like 100 years ago with what parts of Western Australia, this part of Perth were like 100 years ago and the story of the experience of this community over the last 100 years.
Because that is part of the Australian story and the Australian story is an extraordinary one, particularly when you think that you can count on the fingers of your two hands and still have a few left over, the number of countries that have been continuously democratic for the last 100 years and Australia is one of them. It's one of the things that we don't talk about enough. It's one of those things that Australians are not, many Australians aren't even conscious of. And that although, as I acknowledge we have made our share of mistakes and we have our blemishes like any other country, we also have a very inspiring and a very positive story to tell.
So I am delighted to be associated in a small way, and my Government, and the Mayor was kind enough to acknowledge the contribution of $275,000 out of the Community Partnerships Program. Stuart lobbied very hard on behalf of the community in order to secure that grant for the opening of the Treetop walk. I've had an opportunity of sampling it, and the Mayor has told me in no uncertain terms, left me in no doubt, as to the world respect and acclaim, particularly for the way in which it's been designed to assist people with disabilities. And I think that's a wonderful earnest of the generosity and the decency of this local community.
There are just two other things that I want to say. It is undeniably the case that we here in Australia and most particularly in Western Australia, are going through very strong economic conditions. We have the lowest unemployment for more than 30 years and this state is literally booming. But we must also remember that amidst all of that there are still people who miss out and part of the responsibility and the obligation of a local community is to extend a helping hand to them. Local communities can do it with a lot of effort and a lot of grit and a lot of volunteers but they do need assistance from governments at both the state and the federal level. And we do need to approach so many of these things in a spirit of partnership and cooperation. And on a micro level here in Gosnells we're doing it with this wonderful Treetop walk. I know the local council is investing quite a bit in it, and the Federal Government has made its contribution and that's all been brought together by the very good offices of your local member.
And that's really the last thing I want to say. And I do want to say what a wonderfully energetic, hardworking local representative you have in Stuart. He's represented you in the national Parliament since 2004. He does care about the community, he constantly beats a track to the doors of Ministers and to the door of the Prime Minister. He doesn't get everything he wants although he gets a big percentage of what he wants. But he operates on the ambit claim principle that you ask for a lot for your community, perhaps more than you expect to get, and he does very well. But he's a very good local representative and I would like to very warmly commend him to you and say how very happy I am to be here again.
I have been here on several occasions and I have met representatives of this wonderful city in Canberra. And it really is of enormous pleasure and it's been very nice to walk along that walk and to meet so many of you. And I hope to have the opportunity of saying hello to quite a few of you when the formalities have completed. But thank you very, very much for having me, and I think I have to pull a string with the Mayor and the local member. But ladies and gentlemen thank you very much. It's nice to be with you.
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