SPEECH BY THE PRIME MINIISTER
MR, E. G. WHITLAM, MP.,
AT THE UNVEILING OF THE EUREKA FLAG,
BALLARAT FINE ART GALLERY,
BALLARAT, 3 DECEMBER
1973
NO DOUBT MY OPPONENTS WOULD SAY THAT THE CHIEF LESSON
OF EUREKA IS A SIMPLE ONE: THE GOVERNMENT WAS NO MORE POPULAR
WITH MINING INTERESTS IN THE MID-NINETEENTH CENTURY THAN THE
PRESEN4T GOVERNMENT IS TODAY. NEVERTHELESS, I HAVE ALWAYS THOUGHT
IT AN AUSPICIOUS COINCIDENCE THAT THE ELECTION OF THE FIRST
NATIONAL LABOR GOVERNM4ENT FOR 23 YEARS SHOULD HAVE OCCURRED,
ALMOST TO THE DAY, ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE EUREKA STOCKADE.
NOT THAT MY PARTY CLAIMS ANY MONOPOLY OF PATRIOTIC SENTIMENT,
ANY EXCLUSIVE AFFINITY WITH THE SYMBOLS OF AUSTRALIAN HISTORY.,
EUREKA HAD LITTLE OR NOTHING TO DO. WITH THE FORMULATION OF THE
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY. IT HAD LITTLE OR NOTHING TO DO WITH
THE GREAT MOVEMENT FOR FEDERATION THE MOVEMENT THAT CAME
TO FRUITION HALF A CENTURY AFTER EUREKA IN THE EMERGENCE OF
AN AUSTRALIAN NATION. YET WE IN THE LABOR PARTY'-WOULD
BE LESS THAN HUMAN IF WE DID NOT SEE IN THE EVENTS OF EUREKA
SAD AND REMOTE AND ISOLATED AS THEY WERE A SYMBOL OF THE PRIDE
THE INDEPENDENCE OF SPIRIT, THE DEMOCRATIC TRADITIONS AND THE
STRONG NATIONALIST ASPIRATIONS FOR WHICH LABOR HAS ALWAYS STOOD,.
AND WITH WHICH THE NEW GOVERNMENT IS ESPECIALLY IDENTIFIED.
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I HOPE YOU WILL FORGIVE ME FOR STRIKING THIS PARTISAN
NOTE, IT IS A TRUISM, PERHAPS, THAT THE IMPORTANCE OF AN
HISTORICAL EVENT LIES NOT IN WHAT HAPPENED BUT IN WHAT
LATER GENERATIONS BELIEVE TO HAVE HAPPENED, ON THAT SCORE,
THERE CAN BE NO DOUBT OF EUREKA'S IMPORTANCE TO THE LABOR
PARTY AND TO AUSTRALIA, HISTORY IS A PROCESS OF COLLECTIVE
REMEMBRANCE; AND BEYOND QUESTION THE EVENTS OF 3 DECEMBER
1854 PERSIST IN THE MEMORY AND CONSCIOUSNESS OF OUR PEOPLE
IN THE WORDS OF ONE WRITER AS " THE PIONEER AND SUPREME
AUSTRALIAN EVENT IN THE SPECTACULAR SENSE," DR, EVATT, A GREAT
STATESMAN AND A PERCEPTIVE HISTORIAN, WENT SO FAR AS TO DECLARE
THAT " AUSTRALIAN DEMOCRACY WAS BORN AT EUREKA", I ACCEPT THAT
JUDGEMENT, AND HERE, IN THE CITY AND BIRTHPLACE OF EUREKA,
I PROCLAIM THE CENTRAL AND ENDURING RELEVANCE OF THOSE EVENTS
TO OUR OWN DAY, TO THE GREAT REFORMS IN OUR NATIONAL LIFE AND
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS ON WHICH THIS COUNTRY IS EMBARKED, AND
THE CREATION OF THE MORE JUST AND HUMANE SOCIETY TO WHICH MY
GOVERNMENT IS COMMITTED,
YOU'HEAR MUCH THESE DAYS OF THE " NEW NATIONALISM"
OF ALL THE SLOGANS APPLIED TO MY GOVERNMENT, I THINK IT IS THE
ONLY ONE OF WHICH I CANNOT CLAIM THE AUTHORSHIP, LIKE A GREAT
NUMBER OF THINGS, IT WAS INVENTED BY THE PRESS, YET I AM HAPPY
TO ADOPT AND AFFIRM IT, THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO SEE SOMETHING
SINISTER OR THREATENING IN THE IDEA OF A " NEW NATIONALISM" SOME
DISTURBANCE TO OUR WAY OF LIFE, THE OVERTURNING OF RECEIVED IDEAS
AND SETTLED TRADITIONS, THE BREAKING OFF OF OLD FRIENDSHIPS,
THAT IS NOT WHAT WE INTEND THE NEW NATIONALISM TO MEAN,
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RATHER THAN DISCARD OUR AUTHENTIC TRADITIONS, WE WANT
TO RESTORE AND INVIGORATE THEM. RATHER THAN BREAK OFF OLD
FRIENDSHIPS, WE WANT TO FORM NEW. ONES FRIENDSHIPS THAT WILL
ENHANCE OUR NAME AND REPUTATION IN THE WORLD AS A GOOD FRIEND,
A CONCERNED AND HELPFUL PARTNER IN OUR REGION AND BEYOND.
RATHER THAN OVERTURN THE TRUE VALUES OF AUSTRALIAN SOCIETY,
WE WANT TO RESURRECT AND FOSTER THOSE VALUES. THE LABOR PARTY,
THE PRESENT GOVERNMENT, HAS NEVER HAD ANY DOUBT ABOUT WHAT
THOSE VALUES WERE. THEY WERE, IN TRUTH, IDENTIFIED AND PROCLAIMED
AT EUREKA JUSTICE, FREEDOM, INDEPENDENCE,
FRATERNITY, THE INSTINCT FOR FAIR PLAY AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY
FOR ALL OUR PEOPLE. EGALITARIANISM BY WHATEVER NAME
WE CALL IT IS AT THE HEART OF\ AUSTRALIAN TRADITION.
INTANGIBLE AS THESE VALUES ARE, THEY HAVE A VERY REAL
MEANING FOR THE LABOR PARTY, THEY ARE CLEARLY EXPRESSED IN THE
PLATFORM OF THE PARTY AND IN THE POLICIES OF THE GOVERNMENT.
ANYONE READING THE PLATFORM WILL BE STRUCK BY THE EMPHASIS
ON " AUSTRALIA", THE " AUSTRALIAN NATION", ON NATIONAL GOALS AND
ASPIRATIONS, ALONE AMONG'THE PARTIES WE AFFIRM THE SUPREMACY
OF AUSTRALIAN SOVEREIGNTY OVER THE WHOLE NATION AND ITS
TERRITORIES. ANYONE WHO HAS STUDIED THE RECORD OF THE GOVERNMENT'S
ACHIEVEMENTS SINCE COMING TO OFFICE WILL RECOGNISE THIS NATIONALIST
SENTIMENT AS THE GREAT BINDING THEME OF ALL OUR MAJOR DECISIONS
AND INITIATIVES. I I,
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AS A PHILOSOPHY, A MODUS LIVEIADI FOR THE NEW GOVERNMENT,
THE / INEW NATIONALISM If BRINGS TOGETHER A GREAT NUMBER OF DIVERSE
STRANDS AND ATTITUDES AND AMBITIONS. IT MEANS,
THE GREATEST POSSIBLE MEASURE OF AUSTRALIAN CONTROL OVER OUR
INDUSTRIES AND RESOURCES. IT MEANS AN INDEPENDENT FOREIGN
POLICY NOT ONE WITHOUT ALLIES, BUT ONE WITHOUT OBSESSIONS,
WITHOUT DISTORTIONS, WITHOUT SUBJECTION TO THE IDEOLOGIES OR
FOLLIES OF OTHER POWERS. IT MEANS THE CREATION OF A ROBUST AND
THRIVING ECONOMY BY WHICH THE TALENTS AND SKILLS OF ALL AUSTRALIANS
CAN BE FULFILLED. IT MEANS STRENGTHENING AND DEVELOPING
AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRIES, INCLUDING RURAL INDUSTRIES, TO. MAKE.
THEM MORE RESILIENT AND COMPETITIVE IN A CHANGING
WORLD. IT MEANS THE FULLEST PARTICIPATION OF AUSTRALIANS IN
DECISIONS INVOLVING THEIR OWN DESTINY. IT MEANS THE PRESERVATION
OF THE NATIONAL ESTATE OUR HISTORIC BUILDINGS, AND NATURAL
ENVIRONMENT. IT MEANS THE PROTECTION OF ABORIGINAL CULTURE
AND TRADITIONS AS THE ORIGINAL AND MOST AUTHENTIC EXPRESSION OF
AN AUSTRALIAN IDENTITY. IT MEANS THE CULTIVATION OF VITALITY AND
CREATIVENESS IN THE ARTS, IN ORDER TO IMPART To AUSTRALIAN LIFE
A VIGOROUS AND DISTINCTIVE INTELLECTUAL IMPETUS.
THERE IS NOTHING COARSE OR INTOLERANT OR XENOPHOBIC
ABOUT THIS KIND OF NATIONALISM. IT DOES NOT MEAN CLOSING OUR SOCIETY
TO BENEFICIAL IDEAS FROM ABROAD. AN AUTHENTIC AUSTRALIANSIM
CAN READILY ACCOMMODATE FOREIGN INFLUENCES AND FOREIGN CULTURES,
JUST AS WE HAVE PROSPERED FROM THE POST-WAR PROGRAM OF IMMIGRATION.
THEY WERE MIGRANTS, AFTER ALL IRISH, EUROPEAN, AMERICAN WHO
PROVIDED THE BACKBONE OF THE EUREKA RISING, NOR DO I CARE FOR
THE ARGUMENT THAT A " tNEW NATIONALISM' IS OUTMODED OR EVEN DANGEROUS
IN A WORLD THAT HAS SUFFERED TOO MUCH FROM NATIONALISTIC HATREDS
AND PASSIONS AND STRIVES ONLY FOR PEACE AND SECURITY BASED ON
INTERNATIONAL UNDERSTANDING, NO GOVERNMENT IS MORE COMMITTED THAN
MINE TO INTERNATIONALISM IN THIS HIGHEST SENSE, YET IF WE LOOK
AT THE NATIONS, EXCLUDING THE MAJOR POWERS, THAT HAVE ADVANCED
INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION THE MOST INDIA, CANADA, THE
SCANDANAVIAN COUNTRIES WE FIND THEY ARE NATIONS WITH A SECURE
AND DISTINCTIVE NATIONAL IDENTITY OF THEIR OWN, ECHOES AND
SHADOWS, SATELLITES AND VASSALS ARE NOT FORCES FOR PEACE AND
CO-OPERATION: THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE THE FIRST VICTIMS
WHEN PEACE AND CO-OPERATION ARE OVERTHROWN,
DURING THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN LAST YEAR, I ANNOUNCED THAT
A LABOR GOVERNMENT WOULD OFFICIALLY PROCLAIM A NEW AUSTRALIAN
NATIONAL ANTHEM, THIS YEAR A COMPETITION WAS HELD TO SEE IF
ANYONE COULD PRODUCE BETTER WORDS AND MUSIC THAN THE SONGS
WE HAVE ALREADY, THE INTERESTING THING ABOUT THAT EXERCISE WAS
NOT THE QUALITY OF THE ENTRIES THERE ARE VERY FEW PEOPLE WHO
CAN COMPOSE GOOD WORDS AND MUSIC BUT THE QUANTITY, THERE WERE
MORE THAN 1300 ANTHEMS, GIVEN THE DIFFICULTIES INVOLVED, THAT
WAS A CONSIDERABLE AND HEARTENING RESPONSE, THERE IS NO DOUBT
IN MY MIND THAT THE AUSTRALIAN PEOPLE WANT A NATIONAL ANTHEM
OF THEIR OWN AN ANTHEM THAT TRULY REFLECTS THE CHARACTER AND
TRADITIONS OF OUR PEOPLE, NEXT YEAR WE SHALL HAVE SUCH AN ANTHEM,
THERE IS NOTHING EXCESSIVE. OR JINGOISTIC INTHE PROPuSITION THAT
AUSTRALIA SHOULD NO LONGER BE WILLING TO SHARE A NATIONAL ANTHEM
WITH ANOTHER COUNTRY,
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I CONGRATULATE THOSE WHO HAVE PRESERVED AND RESTORED
THIS HISTORIC FLAG, IT IS FITTING THAT IT SHOULD REMAIN HERE IN
BALLARAT, IN THIS GALLERY, AS A-' RELIC OF EUREKA. OUR PAST IS
DEFICIENT IN TURBULENT EVENTS, IN THE CIVIL CONVULSIONS AND
UPHEAVALS THAT PROVIDE FOR OLDER CIVILISATIONS A FOCUS FOR
NATIONALISTIC FERVOUR AND POPULAR EMOTION, THOSE SYMBOLS AND
RITUALS WE HAVE, LIKE OUR PARLIAMENTARY AND CONSTITUTIONAL SYSTEM
ITSELF, DERIVE FROM A QUIESCENT COLONIAL PAST. I AM NOT ONE TO
ARGUE, AS SOME ROMANTICS DO, THAT TRUE NATIONHOOD MUST SPRING
FROM THE AGONY AND SUFFERING ENDURED BY FORMER GENERATIONS.
YET IS IN THE NATURE OF THINGS THAT AN EVENT LIKE EUREKA
WITH ALL ITS ASSOCIATIONS, WITH ALL ITS POTENT SYMBOLISM,, WILL
ACQUIRE AN AURA OF EXCITMENT AND ROMANCE, AND STIR THE IMAGINATION
OF THE AUSTRALIAN PEOPLE.
DR. JOHNSON REMARKED THAT PATRIOTISM IS THE LAST REFUGE
OF A SCOUNDREL. HE WAS WELL AWARE THAT PATRIOTISM CAN BE CARRIED
TO EXTREMES, AND THAT NATIONALISM CAN BE CARRIED TO EXCESS.
THERE IS NEVERTHELESS A KIND OF NATIONALISM THAT EVERY COUNTRY
NEEDS. IT IS A BENIGN AND CONSTRUCTIVE NATIONALISM. IT HAS TO DO
WITH SELF-CONFIDENCE, WITH MATURITY, WITH ORIGINALITY, WITH
INDEPENDENCE, OF MIND. IF AUSTRALIA IS TO REMAIN IN THE
FOREFRONT OF NATIONS, IF TO RESIST T HE TEMPTATION TO BE
A SECOND-RATE OR IMITATIVE SOCIETY, '-IF . DETERMINED TO BE A
TRUE SOURCE OF POWER AND IDEAS IN THE WORLD,,
AGENEROUS AND TOLERANT AS A itj1J
RESPECTED FOR OUR GENEROSITY AND TOLERANCE, THEN
IBELIEVE THAT SOMETHING LIKE THE " NEW NATIONALISM" MUST PLAY A
PART IN OUR GOVERNMENT AND IN THE LIVES OF US ALL.