SPEECH BY THE PRIME MINISTER,
THE HON. E. G. WHITLAM, Mi. P.,
FOR THE OPENING OF THE CAIRNS CIVIC CENTRE,
CAIRNS, QUEENSLAND,
FRIDAY 31 M. AY 1974
THIS IS A VERY HAPPY OCCASION FOR ME. WHATEVER YOU
MAY THINK OF. MY FEELINGS TOWARDS QUEENSLAND, THERE CAN BE NO
DOUBT ABOUT MY FEELINGS TOWARDS CAIRNS. I CAME HERE FOR A FEW
DAYS JUST BEFORE THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN; I AM HERE AGAIN
IMMEDIATELY AFTER IT. I AM DELIGHTED THAT MY FIRST OFFICIAL
DUTY SINCE THE RE-ELECTION OF THE GOVERNMENT IS TO OPEN THIS
SPLENDID CIVIC CENTRE IN CAIRNS. IT WILL CONFIRM YOUR POSITION
AS QNE OF THE MOST PROSPEROUS AND DYNAMIC PROVINCIAL CITIES IN
AUSTRALIA. THE PLANNING OF THIS CENTRE BEGAN JUST TWO WEEKS AFTER
THE GOVERNMENT WAS ELECTED IN 1972. 1 BELIEVE IT SYMBOLISES TWO
OF THE GOVERNMENT'S PRINCIPAL CONCERNS: ITS COMMITMENT TO THE
ARTS AND ITS COMMITMENT TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT. YOU HAVE BEGUN
SOMETHING IN THIS CITY WHICH I HOPE WILL SERVE AS A MODEL NOT
ONLY FOR THE REST OF OUEENSLAND BUT FOR THE WHOLE OF AUSTRALIA.
OF ALL THE AUSTRALIAN STATES, QUEENSLAND IS BY FAR THE MOST
DECENTRALISED. IT HAS MANY THRIVING RURAL CENTRES. THE
VIGOUR, THE INDIVIDUALITY, THE VITALITY OF YOURS RURAL AND
PROVINCIAL CITIES SHOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR OTHER STATES
AND REGIONS TO CULTIVATE SIMILAR GROWTH CENTRES AWAY FROM
THE CAPITAL CITIES.
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TO DO SO IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT CITIES LIKE CAIRNS SHOULD ENJOY
THE SAME FACILITIES FOR CULTURE AND RECREATION THAT ARE AVAILABLE
TO THE PEOPLE OF BRISBANE, SYDNEYAND MELBOURNE. THIS CENTRE
IS AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF WHAT CONCERNED AND VIGOROUS LOCAL
GOVERNMENT CAN ACHIEVE WITH THE SUPPORT AND CO-OPERATION OF
YOUR STATE GOVERNMENT AND THE LOCAL PEOPLE. I CONGRATULATE ALL
THOSE WHO HAVE WORKED FOR THIS BUILDING AND FOR THE IDEALS AND
PURPOSES IT EMBODIES.
THERE IS, PERHAPS, AN ADDED SIGNIFICANCE IN THE
DEVELOPMENT OF A CULTURAL CENTRE HERE IN CAIRNS. YOU STAND
AT THE MEETING POINT OF THREE CULTURES THE EUROPEAN, THE
ABORIGINAL AND THE TORRES STRAIT ISLAND. I BELIEVE YOU ARE
IN A UNIQUE POSITION TO ABSORB AND DISSEMINATE IDEAS AND STYLES
MAY
WHICHIWELL PROVE, IN THE LONGER PERSPECTIVE OF HISTORY, TO-BE
OF IMPORTANCE TO THE WHOLE WORLD.
WHEN MY GOVERNMENT SET OUT TO IMPLEMENT ITS POLICY IN
THE ARTS IT FACED SOME DIFFICULT'DECISIONS, THEY SPRANG FROM
THE FACT THAT WHILE AUSTRALIA WAS RICH IN ARTISTIC TALENT,
AND PROBABLY POTENTIALLY RICHER THAN ANYONE CAN EASILY IMAGINE,
IT LACKED THE RESOURCES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THAT TALENT.
VAST AREAS OF THE COUNTRY WERE WITHOUT EITHER THE PEOPLE OR THE
PLACES WHICH COULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
OF THE ARTS. YET IF WE WERE TO DEVOTE OUR AVAILABLE FUNDS TO
BUILDING THE PLACES, WE WOULD NOT HAVE THE FUNDS TO SPEND ON
THE PEOPLE. ./ 3
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So WE WERE FORCED TO ESTABLISH CERTAIN PRIORITIES, AND OUR
PRIORITIES WERE THESE: FIRST, TO SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES,
TO MAINTAIN AND PROMOTE STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE; THEN TO SUPPORT
THE TRAINING OF ARTISTS, WHICH WOULD PRODUCE THE NEXT GENERATION
OF CREATIVE TALENT; THEN TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES WHICH WOULD
INVOLVE COMMUNITIES, TO ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND ENSURE
AUDIENCES, WITHOUT WHICH NO ARTIST CAN SURVIVE; AND FINALLY TO
COLLABORATE WITH OTHER BODIES, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE, TO GIVE THE
ARTS A BROADER.. BASE OF SUPPORT THAN A NATIONAL GOVERNMENT ALONE
CAN PROVIDE. I AM GLAD TO SEE THAT HERE IN CAIRNS WE HAVE A PROJECT
IN WHICH ALL THESE OBJECTIVES CAN BE ACHIEVED. YOU HAVE CHOSEN
BY YOUR OWN INITIATIVE TO CREATE A CENTRE OF ACTIVITY, AND YOU
HAVE HAD THE SUPPORT OF YOUR STATE GOVERNMENT IN DOING SO.
YOU WILL BE LOOKING TO THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT. FOR SUPPORT
FOR THE ACTIVITIES HERE, AND SO LONG" AS YOU AIM FOR EXCELLENCE
AND FOR THE WIDEST COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, THAT SUPPORT WILL
NOT BE LACKING. THE ORGANISATION OF THIS CENTRE SHOWS THAT YOU HAVE
GOT YOUR PRIORITIES RIGHT, EXACTLY RIGHT. THE CITIES OF THE
WORLD ARE LITTERED WITH BUILDINGS ERECTED WITH THE BEST OF
INTENTIONS, BUT WITH A POOR UNDERSTANDING OF THE NEEDS OF THE
ARTS AND THE NEED OF LOCAL COMMUNITIES. CAIRNS IN THE FUTURE
WILL HAVE SOMETHING VERY DIFFERENT; A BUILDING CREATED IN
RESPONSE TO LOCAL" NEEDS.
THE FACT IS THAT MANY OF THE MOST ORIGINAL AND
CONSTRUCTIVE ENTERPRISES IN THE ARTS HAVE COME FROM QUEENSLAND.
YOU DEVELOPED THE IDEA OF THE FLYING ARTS SCHOOL; YOU HAVE
MADE GREAT PROGRESS IN SUCH'FIELDS AS YOUTH ORCHESTRAS AND
YOUNG OPERA GROUPS. YOU HAVE MANAGED TO BUILD UP A RANGE OF
ACTIVITIES WHICH SERVE THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE WELL AND DO YOU
GREAT CREDIT. I MIGHT MENTION THAT THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT,
THROUGH THE AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL FOR THE ARTS AND ITS BOARDS,
HAS ALREADY GIVEN MORE THAN $ 500,000 IN VARIOUS FORMS OF
SUPPORT TO THE STATE, AND A GOOD PART OF IT HAS GONE TO THE
NORTHERN PART OF QUEENSLAND.
IN THE PERFORMING ARTS, $ 130,000 HAS GONE TO THE
QUEENSLAND THEATRE COMPANY AND $ 35,000 TO THE TWELFTH MIGHT
THEATRE; THE QUEENSLAND BALLET COMPANY HAS RECEIVED $ 25,000
AND THE QUEENSLAND OPERA COMPANY $ 49,000. THE LARGEST SHARE
OF THE LITERATURE BOARD GRANTS TOTALLING $ 45,000 WENT TO
INDIVIDUAL WRITERS TO ALLOW THEM MORE TIME FOR WRITING.
THE VISUAL ARTS BOARD HAS GIVEN GRANTS TOTALLING $ 57,09n
TO INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS AS WELL AS $ 21,000 TO THE EASTAUS
ARTS SCHOOL, THE FLYING ARTS SCHOOL WHICH TAKES PAINTING
TO OUTBACK AREAS: $ 7,500 TO THE TOWNSVILLE ARTS SOCIETY
AND VARIOUS AMOUNTS TO OTHER GROUPS SUCH AS THE SOCIETY OF
SCULPTORS OF QUEENSLAND.
THE QUEENSLAND FESTIVAL OF ARTS RECEIVED A $ 10,0' n)
GRANT AND THE TOlWNSVILLE PACIFIC FESTIVAL $ 2,000; THE CHILDRENS
CREATIVE ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATION $ 3,040 AND THE MT. [ SA CULTURAL
VACATION SCHOOL $ 2,130. CRAFTSMEN RECEIVED GRANTS TOTALLING
$ 42,000 AND MUSIC GENERALLY $ 132,000. AMONG THE MUSIC GRANTS
WAS ONE OF $ 12,360 TO THE OUEENSLAND CONSERVATORIUM OF MIUSIC
TO MAINTAIN A STRING QUARTET IN RE SIDENCE. ALONG WITH THESE
GRANTS $ 48,000 HAS BEEN GIVEN TO THE QUEENSLAND DIVISION OF
THE ARTS COUNCIL SPEC IFICALLY FOR TOURING PERFORMANCES IN
COUNTRY AREAS. THERE WAS ALSO A $ 10,000 GRANT FROM THE
FILM AND TELEVISION BOARD FOR THE PURCHASE OF EQUIPMENT FOR
THE BRISBANE FILM-MAKERS CO-OPERATIVE.
OUR COMMITMENT TO THE ARTS MUST BE SEEN IN
CONJUJNCTION WITH OUR COMMITMENT TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT, FOR
PARTICIPATION IN THE ARTS, AND ENJOYMENT OF THE ARTS OFTEN
REFLECT LOCAL NEEDS, LOCAL TASTES AND, IN MANY CASES, LOCAL
CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL INFLUENCES. By PROMOTING MORE
VIGOROUS LOCAL GOVERNMENT WE ARE THEREFORE CULTIVATING A
MORE FERTILE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH THE ARTS CAN PROSPER.
LET ME GIVE YOU SOME IDEA OF WHAT WE HAVE DONE FOR LOCAL
GOVERNMENT IN AUSTRALIA, AND PARTICULARLY IN QUEENSLAND.
IN MY POLICY SPEECH FOR THE 1972 ELECTIONS I SAID: " LET
THERE BE NO MISTAKE ABOUT LABOR'S DETERMINATION TO MAKE
LOCAL GOVERNMENT A GENUINE PARTNER IN THE FEDERAL SYSTEM."
THAT DETERMINATION STILL STANDS. IT WAS REITERATED IN MY
POLICY SPEECH FOR THE ELECTION ON 18 MAY IN THESE TERMS:
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" WE HAVE SOUGHT TO MAKE LOCAL GOVERNMENT A
GENUINE PARTNER IN AUSTRALIA'S FEDERAL SYSTEM,
WE HAVE REMODELLED THE GRANTS COMMISSION TO
ALLOW LOCAL GOVERNMENT BODIES TO MAKE
SUBMISSIONS AND TO ALLOW THE COMMISSION TO
MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE AMOUNTS OF MONEY
NEEDED TO REDUCE INEQUALITIES BETWEEN REGIONS
AND WITHINSTATES AS TRADITIONALLY IT USED TO
DO AS BETWEEN THE STATES,
" THE ROLE WE ASSIGN TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS THE
REAL ANSWER TO CHARGES OF CENTRALISM, UNDER
A VARIETY OF PROGRAMS WE HAVE PROVIDED LOCAL
GOVERNMENT WITH THE FUNDS TO UNDERTAKE A RANGE
OF ACTIVITIES PREVIOUSLY INADEQUATELY CARRIED
OUT OR TOTALLY NEGLECTED, THE AUSTRALIAN
ASSISTANCE PLAN, THE PROGRAMS FOR COMMUNITY
HEALTH, AREA IMPROVEMENT, THE NATIONAL ESTATE,
THE ARTS, TOURISM AND RECREATION AND ABORIGINES
ALL THESE PROVIDE FUNDS FOR COMMUNITY
ACTIVITIES TO BE ORGANISED BY LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
WE DELIBERATELY HAVE MADE AND SHALL MAKE LOCAL
GOVERNMENT A VEHICLE FOR OUR LEGISLATION ON
AGED PERSONS'. HOMES AND HOSTELS, SHELTERED
EMPLOYMENT, HANDICAPPED CHILDREN, MEALS ON
WHEELS, HOME CARE AND NURSING, NURSING HOMES
AND HOMELESS MEN AND WOMEN, THESE ARE ALL
ACTIVITIES WHICH CANNOT BE CLOSELY REGULATED
FROM THE CENTRE AND ARE BEST PLANNED AND
IMPLEMENTED BY LOCAL GOVERNMENT WORKING WITH
LOCAL COMMUNITIES, THEY JUSTIFY ASSISTANCE
FROM THE NATION'S FINANCES BUT NOT INCREASES
IN RATES, ,/ 7
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" WE INSISTED ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATION
AT THE CONVENTION ON THE CONSTITUTION IN
SEPTEMBER LAST YEAR. VIE MADE LOCAL GOVERNMENT
REPRESENTATION A CONDITION OF PARTICIPATION
BY THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT.
" AT THAT CONVENTION I PUT THE CASE FOR LOCAL
GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATION ON THE LOAN COUNCIL.
THE PREMIERS THEN, AND AT A SPECIAL PREMIERS'
CONFERENCE IN OCTOBER, TURNED DOWN OUR PROPOSAL
THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENT SHOULD HAVE A VOICE AND
A VOTE IN THE LOAN COUNCIL."
WE ARE COMMITTED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW REGIONAL
GROWTH CENTRES IN QUEENSLAND. AFTER CONSULTATION WITH STATE
AUTHORITIES, THE CITIES COMIMISSION IN 1973 UNDERTOOK INITIAL
DEVELOPMENT STUDIES OF THREE AREAS IN QUEENSLAND TOWNSVILLE,
THE'FITZROY REGION AND THE MORETON REGION. OUR BUDGET LAST
YEAR~ ALLOCATED $ 14.4 MILLION FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THESE
REGIONS IN THE CURRENT FINANCIAL YEAR. A REQUEST FOR A
DEVELOPMENT FEASIBILITY STUDY OF THE CAIRNS REGION HAS BEEN
RECEIVED BY THE CITIES COMMISSION FROM THE FAR NORTH QUEENSLAND
DEVELOPMENT BUREAU. THIS HAS BEEN SUPPORTED BY THE CAIRNS
CITY COUNCIL. THE COMMISSION HAS INDICATED TO THE COUNCIL
AND THE BUREAU THAT IT WILL CONSIDER THIS REQUEST WHEN ITS
FUTURE STUDIES PROGRAM IS BEING PREPARED. OFFICERS OF THE
COMMISSION HAVE DISCUSSED THIS MATTER, AND OTHER MATTERS OF
MUTUAL INTEREST, WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THE COUNCIL. AND THE
BUREAU. 191 / 8
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THERE ARE A NUMBER OF OTHER PROJECTS I SHOULD
MENTION THAT ARE OF SPECIAL INTEREST TO CAIRNS. NEW AUSTRALIAN
GOVERNMENT OFFICES IN CAIRNS WERE-COMPLETED IN DECEMBER 1973
AT A COST OF $ 730,000. A TELEPHONE ENGINEERING CENTRE AND
MOTOR VEHICLE REPAIR CENTRE ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION AT A
COST OF $ 760,000 IN ADDITION, WE ARE CARRYING OUT
EXTENSIONS TO THE CAIRNS TELEPHONE EXCHANGE AT A COST OF
$ 760,000, WE. ARE BUILDING A NEW WORKS DEPOT FOR THE
DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND CONSTRUCTION AT A COST OF $ 154,000
AND EXTENDING THE LEVEE BANKS OF THE CAIRNS AIRPORT AT A
COST OF $ 158,00, PROPOSED ALTERATIONS AND ADDITIONS TO THE
CAIRNS POST OFFICE WILL COST A FURTHER $ 207,000.
I WANT TO LEAVE YOU IN NO DOUBT OF THE GOVERNMENT'S
CONTINUING CONCERN FOR THE PROSPERITY AND DEVELOPMENT OF YOUR
CITY, YOUR REGION AND YOUR STATE. WITH THIS BUILDING,
CAIRNS HAS PLACED ITSELF IN THE FOREFRONT OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT
FOR THE ARTS. IT GIVES ME GREAT PLEASURE TO DECLARE OPEN
THE FIRST STAGE OF YOUR CULTURAL COMPLEX. IT WILL GIVE ME
GREATER AND CONTINUING PLEASURE TO REVISIT YOUR CITY, TO
OBSERVE ITS GROWTH AND PROSPERITY, AND SEE THE IMPORTANT
CONTRIBUTION OF THIS NEW CIVIC CENTRE TO THE LIFE AND
HAPPINESS OF YOUR CITIZENS,