Dr Ameer Ali, my Ministerial colleagues Philip Ruddock and Gary Hardgrave, Your Grace, the Reverend Professor James Haire, Mr Jeremy Jones the President of the Australian Executive Council of Jewry, other parliamentary colleagues, ladies and gentlemen.
For Janette and for me it's a real honour to be here tonight. It's an opportunity for me to say a few things very directly to the Islamic community of Australia. And it's also an opportunity for me to honour the work of the Federation since 1964 in representing and articulating the interests and the views of Muslim Australians.
The fact that this dinner takes place at a critical and difficult time, a time involving a debate about judgements made by the Government of Australia and the challenges facing the world, particularly in relation to the Middle East add special relevance. And I welcome the fact Mr President that you have spoken very directly of your concerns and have put very directly to me your views. Because that is the Australian way and I intend to use the time I have tonight to put my views with equal candour and equal directness in the same spirit of the Australian way. To do less would show disrespect to the place that you occupy in our community.
This Congress draws Muslim leaders from all over Australia. And it provides a very important and essential forum. The President has reminded us that Muslim contact with Australia pre-dates European settlement. But it is the case that the great majority of Muslim Australians have made this country their home over the last 50 years. Many have done so fleeing persecution and oppression. And they have come to a country that not only embraces, but practices, the values of justice and harmony and peace and democracy. And I know that those values are as precious to Australian Muslims as they are to Australians of other ethnicities and descent.
Australian Muslims come from many social and political and ethnic backgrounds. There is an astonishing variety in world Islam. Of course Australia has astonishing variety. And that is a variety of choice. We have decided to be a diverse country because we believe it adds strength and vitality and relevance to our nation in a world of rapid change.
But diversity of course need not be promoted at the expense of unity. A point I know that our Islamic communities hold to very strongly. Those who make Australia their home have also embraced our nation. And all Australians, regardless of their background, their ethnic, cultural, religious or social background, whether they were born in this country or came to this country by choice, should participate fully in the wider Australian community - and show a commitment to our nation, its values, its institutions and its laws, above all other commitments.
Our Muslim communities are continuing to develop their Australian identity. And who could possibility doubt that after having heard the wonderful singing of the choir tonight? And I thought as I listened to that singing that perhaps those who in the Australian community, that minority of people who peddle cruel stereotypes about Australian Muslims should be sent a video recording of the presentation of those school children.
The bonds that Australian Muslims have built with their fellow Australians should not be at the expense of Islamic beliefs or ethnic heritage. The Australian Government is committed to ensuring that all Australians respect the freedom of religion and racial equality enshrined in our law and that the Muslims of Australia are able to express and to practise their religion and their beliefs without intimidation and without interference.
And I want to take this opportunity of saying very directly to all of you that there is no place in Australia for racial and religious discrimination. There is no place in a tolerant, fair and decent Australia in which all Australian citizens are entitled to a fair go for stereotyping and scapegoating of any section of the Australian community. I know that some have been subjected to that, I regret that, it does not represent the view of the overwhelming majority of Australians and it will be condemned by all decent, tolerant Australians.
Part of the expression - a very important part of the expression of religious tolerance and freedom in this country - is the right of every parent to determine the type of education and the value system in that education that should shape the upbringing of their children. My Government respects that very strongly. We have maintained an unwavering commitment to the strength of both government and independent schools in this country.
And I'm sorry that we had to move the venue tonight from the Malek Fahd Islamic School. Because that school embodies in a very practical way the Government's commitment to the right of the Muslims of Australia to educate their children, subject to the proper curriculums that apply to all of our children within an Islamic environment. That school will receive about $6.6 million in recurrent funding from the Government this year and I understand that capital grants to the school have totalled some $900,000 since 1996.
The principles that govern Federal Government assistance to Islamic schools are exactly the same as the principles that govern Federal Government assistance to Christian and to Jewish schools. And that is the most practical possible expression of our determination to maintain and build a society which respects the people's right to practice their religion, to educate their children in the environment of their chosen religion. Last year I received a copy of the Muslim Schools' Charter. And I saw in it, and I was very pleased by it, the efforts of the Australian Council for Islamic Education in Schools in promoting harmony and encouraging exchange between Muslim children and others.
As you know, diversity can only provide benefits when there is tolerance and there is mutual respect. And gatherings such as tonight and particularly a gathering such as this, held at this time, where different views about issues are expressed in a candid fashion, but within the framework of open political exchange which is a hallmark of Australian society are very important. And I want to take the opportunity of commending the Federation on the work that it has undertaken to promote harmony amongst all Australians. The recent booklet, Appreciating Islam, produced under the aegis of the Federation, is an excellent layman's guide to Muslim beliefs and practices.
Mr Chairman, you rightly referred to the concern of the international community about international terrorism. Australia participated in the military action in Iraq because of our deep concern that if the possession of weapons of mass destruction by rogue states proliferated as a consequence, the possibility of them coming into the hands of terrorists would multiply with potentially lethal consequences for our own nation. Terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda detest the values of nations such as Australia. They detest the values that all of us in this room hold in common.
The use of terror contradicts the basic philosophies and the essence of everything that Christianity, Judaism and Islam stand for. It is an affront to Muslims, not only in Australia but elsewhere in the world, to hear merchants of terror invoke the name of Islam to justify their perverted deeds. We in Australia, whether we are Christian or Jewish or Islamic or atheist, or whatever religion we may be, will never accept that organisations such as Al Qaeda or Jemaah Islamiah speak or act in any way on behalf of the Islamic world.
I know very much, and I record my deep appreciate for it, that Islamic communities in Australia shared in the outpouring of national grief at the deaths of 88 Australians in Bali six months ago tonight. You responded in a generous and spontaneous way in so many fashions. And that did not go unnoticed by your fellow Australians.
My Chairman, this past week has been momentous for the people of Iraq and for the world. Let me say to you very directly and very sincerely that Australia was right to join the United States and the United Kingdom in the military campaign to remove Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq. We did so primarily to ensure the disarmament of Iraq. But we are glad that his loathsome regime has gone. There will be many, many transitional challenges but of one thing we can be absolutely certain - the people of Iraq will have better, happier, and fuller lives without Saddam Hussein.
The great tragedy of Iraq is that its civilian population has suffered at the hands of a tyrant for decades. To have this man lauded by some as an Islamic hero is not only absurd but it is obscene. This is a man who, in an endeavour to increase his control over the oil wealth of the Middle East invaded his neighbours - Iran and Kuwait. This is the man who used terrible chemical weapons to murder the Kurdish people. This is a man who slaughtered tens of thousands of Iraqi Shi'a, persecuted and murdered their clerics and desecrated the holy shrines of Karbala and An Najaf.
The collapse of Saddam Hussein is a victory for the people of Iraq. They are not a conquered people. They have not rallied to Saddam's cynical attempt to manipulate Islamic sentiment. When they tore down his statues and images and danced in the street for the sheer joy of freedom, the Iraqi people were sending the world a message - they were relieved indeed, delighted that he was gone and they wanted the world to know that.
I want to share with you a letter I received from an Iraqi who sought refuge in Australia seven years ago. Her husband was taken by Saddam Hussein's regime sixteen years ago. She never heard of him again. She tells me about her current life in Australia and I quote "this was not the life I lived in Iraq, but it's a life I appreciated and still appreciate when I think about the regime there. We lived rich and happy in Iraq, but lived in fear, not peace of mind. We were scared of executions, shotguns and chemical attacks. Despite being in Australia, we are still scared of speaking out loud and that's exactly how the people feel in Iraq. We are scared here of spies." And I add in parentheses here in Australia of spies. "I am scared for my children."
It saddens me deeply that even here, thousands of miles from Saddam's brutal regime, that some, indeed many in our Iraqi community still feel scared. I hope that the events of the past few days have lifted that enormous burden from our fellow Australians of the Iraqi community.
Tragically, my friends, there have been civilian casualties in this war. We mourn that, all of us do, and I express the fervent hope that in the interests of saving lives both military and non-combatant, that hostilities cease as soon as possible. The death of innocent people - especially children - should always shock and sadden us lest we lose our basic humanity. But as we read of civilian death and suffering in Iraq now, and we are touched by it and grieved for it, let us never forget the deaths and suffering of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis and others over the past twenty-five years.
Let us remember that the people of Basra, over the past few weeks, were at first reluctant to rebel against the regime's henchmen, even as British forces encircled the city because of their fear and their bitter recollection of the deaths of tens of thousands of their number in 1991 as Saddam Hussein exacted reprisals for their uprising at the end of the Gulf war. Let us also remember that if the now fallen Iraqi dictator had remained in power, torture, execution and rape would have continued as a routine instrument of state terror.
Let us also acknowledge that in this war unprecedented endeavours have been undertaken to minimise non-combatant casualties. Our own Australian forces have adhered to a strict code of conduct. All Australians should be proud of their bravery, professionalism and ethical conducted.
The war against Saddam Hussein is not, and never has been, an attack on Islam. It is an outrageous depiction of the motives and values of the United States, Britain and Australia for that to be suggested.
This nation has never engaged in conflict on the basis of religious or cultural difference. I was reflecting a short while ago that four years ago, at the height of the NATO countries action against Serbia on behalf of the Muslims of Kosovo - an action that Australia supported but did not contribute to - I attended a Greek National Day celebration in Sydney. A section of the crowd, small but vocal, booed me, nothing new about that, I often get booed, but on this occasion they booed me because they perceived that NATO's action was an attack on the Orthodox Christians of Serbia with whom the Greeks naturally felt a sense of religious commonality. But Australia supported the NATO action as being justifiable against an oppressive Serbian regime, which had clearly committed genocide against the Muslims of Kosovo. We did not base our position on a sympathy for one religion over another. And indeed it remains my very strong view as I expressed it then that the world took too long on that occasion to come to the aid of the Muslims of Kosovo. The same was true of our intervention in East Timor. Those decisions were based on a consideration of Australia's national interest, not some kind of expression of preference for one set of religious values over another.
Our closest neighbour, Indonesia, is largest Islamic country in the world. When I was in Jakarta a few weeks ago after visiting both the President of the United States and the British Prime Minister, I talked frankly to the President of Indonesia about Iraq. She made it very clear she didn't agree with our stance, but she made it equally clear that she did not see that our stance was any way conditioned by a feeling of being anti-Islam. Good neighbours recognise and respect each other's values and beliefs. Indonesia and Australia are very good neighbours. And the strength of that relationship, which is very important to me and to my government, has been demonstrated by the magnificent co-operation between our respective police forces following the Bali atrocity.
We also intend to be a good friend of the Iraqi nation. We have no territorial designs on Iraq, nor have the United States or the United Kingdom. I want to make that very clear. There will inevitably be a transitional authority, but we are committed to a transition to Iraqi rule as soon as practicable. We want the United Nations to be engaged, but equally it has to be recognised that the coalition nations have a special responsibility to support Iraq at this time. We have already provided $100 million of humanitarian aid. We'll offer administrative support in many areas, and not only in areas such as dry land farming, where Australia has obvious expertise, but that there are in fact many other areas.
Having engaged in the action to disarm Iraq, and thereby brought about the collapse of the Saddam Hussein regime, we will commit to playing a positive and significant role in the reconstruction effort.
The rule of Saddam Hussein has bankrupted and exploited the Iraqi people. But that nation has great resources, great people and given the right opportunities a great future. It's a very special place as many of you know, the land between the Tigris and Euphrates is the birthplace of the written word, our calendar, and our numbering system. If Iraqis can find a way to live peacefully with one another and their neighbours, it has the capacity to be a powerhouse of development and culture for the region.
Let me turn finally Mr President to the issue of trying to find and trying perhaps to seize this moment to accelerate the finding of a resolution of the seemingly intractable conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians. Australia has been and remains a staunch friend of Israel. I make no apology for saying that tonight. I've had a long association with the Jewish people of this country and I have a respect for the nation of Israel. But let me say to you Mr President that we also very strongly support the emergence of a viable independent Palestinian state. We recognise the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people. And I personally grieve for the fact that the hopes that were entertained a few years ago, and I personally shared some of those hopes when in May of 2000 after visiting Gallipoli and participating in the Anzac Day celebrations I went to Israel to see the then Israeli Prime Minister and with his encouragement went to Ramallah to see Chairman Arafat and at that time the hopes were high for a peace settlement. And it's so sad that they have receded since. But we have to try again.
And indeed the world's current focus on the region brings renewed vigour in a sense to the peace effort. And this opportunity must not be squandered. And it places responsibilities on the Israelis and it places responsibilities on the Palestinians. We urge both sides to embrace the road map developed by the United States after close consultation with Russia, the European Union and the United Nations. Each side needs to feel confident that the other genuinely seeks peace. I warmly welcome the decision of Chairman Arafat to appoint Mahmoud Abbas to the newly created position of Prime Minister. He must however be allowed an effective negotiating mandate, as otherwise the gesture of his appointment could be seen to be merely symbolic.
It is crucial to the peace process that the murderous suicide bombings against Israel cease. And I again urge Ariel Sharon, the Prime Minister of Israel, to use the mandate of his re-election to respond positively to all opportunities to achieve a peace settlement. And I ask him to understand the view of the Palestinians that the expansion of Jewish settlements is provocative.
The Australian government will do everything it can to encourage both sides, to inch towards a settlement of this terrible and bloody conflict, which has caused anguish to the people of Israel and to the Palestinians and to many people who share the hope of a freer part of the world around the world.
Ladies and gentlemen, I know that this meeting takes place in a heavy time for the world and for our nation. Your President spoke very frankly of his concerns, and I've spoken very frankly to you of the Government's position in relation to those matters. But what is very evident from tonight's gathering is that whatever our views may be on Iraq and on other issues one bond unites us all. And that is a common commitment to this country, to its values, to its institutions, to its love of freedom, its hand of welcome, to people, its respect for religious difference and its determination to preserve the great fabric of unity of our Commonwealth. Can I say to the Muslims of Australia you are a precious part of our nation, you love this country as we love it, you contribute t this country, you are valuable to this country, you are respected by your fellow Australians and if there's one message I would like to leave with all of you and that is that there is no place in this country for bigotry and intolerance, for scapegoating and typecasting. It is fundamentally at odds with what this country stands for, and we will work with you to ensure its eradication from our community.
Thank you.
[ends]