E&OE...
First may I acknowledge the Ngunnawal people, the traditional owners of the land on which this great tribute to Australian democracy is built. Janette and I welcome you very warmly to this special luncheon to honour in particular those men and women, indigenous and other Australians, who set such an example and trail blazed in so many ways more than 40 years ago to achieve what remains the most remarkable event in Australia's constitutional history since the establishment of the Constitution itself in 1901 and that is the carriage of a referendum with an affirmative vote of more than 90 per cent.
Of course what was remarkable about that day and that event was that there was another referendum question posed, now largely forgotten in the recollections of that day, and that referendum question was designed to break what is called the nexus in the Australian Constitution, and that is the provision that says that as nearly as practicable the size of the House of Representatives shall be double the size of the Senate. That particular proposition also enjoyed bipartisan support between the Coalition Government on the one hand, and the Labor Party Opposition on the other hand, yet it went down with an absolutely thundering no vote; which is a reminder that the Australian people are very discerning and they're very acute as to what they're asked to vote for and what they choose to support and what they choose to reject.
My personal memory of that day is different from that of many in this room, but I nonetheless did participate as a hard working member of my Party, and I can still recall wandering around the polling booths of the then Federal Electorate of Parkes, which comprised suburbs like Earlwood and Canterbury and Campsie in the suburbs of Sydney, with the then Federal Member, later to become Federal Attorney General Tom Hughes. And I still remember the unusual experience on polling day of standing beside members who I knew well from the Australian Labor Party in that area and handing out the same how to vote cards advocating the same outcome. And it was one of those, you might say, election nights when both the Liberal Party and the Labor Party were profoundly happy with the outcome. And it's a measure and a reminder of the bipartisan spirit that did pervade that particular occasion.
But I think of all of the people that we honour today, those who were the real trail blazers, those who championed the cause, those who mobilised the public opinion, those who galvanised the nation's conscience and brought a sense of passion and a sense of commitment to bringing about a very just outcome. I hope that all of you found this morning's event, as I did, a profoundly moving one. It was a very moving event. And I want to congratulate Reconciliation Australia and most particularly Jackie and Mark and everybody else connected with Reconciliation Australia for achieving a wonderful balance of reminiscence, nostalgia, intelligent sober reflection, a sense on occasion of disappointment; which is appropriate because not everything that was hoped in May of 1967 has been achieved, far from it. But also a renewed determination to fully achieve and realise the goals and the aspirations that all of the Australian people had 40 years ago.
To me in so many ways the highlight of the morning was the inspiring story of Doctor Kelvin Kong, a wonderful story of success and of achievement. And I think it is very important whilst not in any way avoiding the grim elements of the hard march towards greater fairness and better outcomes for indigenous Australians, I think it is important on occasions more frequently to emphasise what does constitute indigenous success.
We haven't come as far as we would have liked and those who criticise that are entitled on the facts to do so. But we have come a lot further than we would have come if men and women of great goodwill and great commitment 40 years ago had not set out to do what was achieved then. And I therefore want to conclude my brief remarks at this luncheon with a sense of optimism and a sense of hope.
A lot was overcome 40 years ago. As a nation I think we surprised ourselves with the resounding nature of that victory. Today has been an opportunity for all of those who are still with us to be honoured and we do that unreservedly and unconditionally. It is also an opportunity here in the Parliament of the nation to thank those people, to honour what they have done, to resolve to do better in the future, but most importantly of all, on behalf of the Australian Government and the Australian people, I extend to all of those who played such a pivotal role in that great event, one of the finest and fairest days in Australia's history, our sense of gratitude and respect for what they have done for all of us.
I now invite the Leader of the Opposition to support my remarks.
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