SPEECH BY THE PRIME MINISTER, 2
THE HON, E. C. WHITLA1l, 0l. C,, M. P.,
FOR THE OPENING OF AUSTRALIA
FESTI\' AL OF CREATIVE ARTS AND SCIENCES,
LAKESIDE INTERNATIONAL HOTEL, CANBERRA,
7 MARCH 1975 4
OCCASIONS SUCH AS THIS ARE AMONG THE REWARDS, IF NOT THE
LUXURIES, OF POLITICAL LIFE, WHERE ELSE BUT IN POLITICS
W'OULD ONE FIND MORE CONGENIAL SURROUNDINGS, MORE REFINED
COMPANY, A GATHERING OF SUCH DIVERSE TALENTS AND RARE
MI1NDS, AN ATMOSPHERE OF SUCH LIVELY DEDICATION TO ALL THAT
IS BEST AND MOST CULTIVATED IN OUR SOCIETY? THIS IS A
UNIQUE FESTIVAL BRINGING TOGETHER THE ARTS AND THE
SCIENCES AND BRINGING THEM BOTH TO A WIDE AUDIENCE. '~ E
HAVE HAD ARTS FESTIVALS BEFORE, WE HAV/ E HAD SCIENTIFIC
EXHIBITIONS BEFORE; BUT I CANNOT REMEMBJER AN OCCASION
WHEN THE TWO WERE COMBINED SO SUCCESSFULLY, SO LOGICALLY
AS THEY HAVE BEEN IN THE PLANNING FOR AUSTRALIA 75. IT
IS A TRIBUTE TO THE ORGANISERS; AN HISTORIC EVENT IN TH~ E
DEVELOPMENT OF OUR NATIONAL CAPITAL; A DEMONSTPATION OF
THE HIGHEST ATTAINMENTS OF A NATION'IS CULTURE AND THE
HIGHEST VALUES OF OUR CIVILIZATION, i @/ 2
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NOT LONG AGO A FRIEND SENT flE A COPY OF THE LATE
DR. JOHN BRONOWSKI ' S BOOK THE ASCENT OF MIAN. SOME OF
YOU WILL REMEMBER THE RECENT TELEVISION SERIES EASED UPON
IT; I'M NOT SURE IF THE BOOK WAS BASED ON THE FILM OR THE
FILM ON THE BOOK FILMS AND BOOKS ARE PLEASURES ALL TO
RARE FOR ME. NEVERTHELESS, I CAME ACROSS THJS
STATEMENT: " MAN IS UNIQUE, NOT IECAUSE HE DOES SCIENCE,
AND HE IS UNIQUE NOT BECAUSE HE DOES ART, BUT BECAUSE
SCIENCE AND ART ARE EQUALLY THE EXPRESSIONS OF HIS
MARVELLOUS PLASTICITY OF MIND." i THAT SEEMED A FITTING
TEXT FOR THIS FESTIVAL. PERHAPS I MIGHT EXTEND IT BY
SAYING THAT MAN IS UNIQUE IN PERCEIVING THE CONNECTION
BETWEEN ART AND SCIENCE, IN RECOGNISING THEIR INDEPENDENCE,
THEIR EQUAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE GOOD LIFE.
THAT IS WHAT YOUR FESTIVAL IS HELPING~ TO DO.
THE BEST ART AND THE PURIEST SCIENCE REFLECT THE SAME
ATTITUDES OF MIND CREATIVITY, IMAGINATION, A DISINTERESTEDLOVE
OF BEAUTY AND TRUTH, BERTRAND PUSSELL OBSERVED
THAT PURE MATHEMATICS, PROPERLY VIEWED, POSSESSED THE
SAME AUSTERE BEAUTY OF THE BEST MUSIC, WITHOUT ITS
GORGEOUS TRAPPINGS. UNDOUBTEDLY THERE HAVE BEEN RARE
INDIVIDUALS V! ITH BOTH SCIENTIFIC AND ARTISTIC GIFTS.
ONE THINKS OF LEONARDO, OF DARWIN, OF EINSTEIN AND AGAIN
OF RUSSELL. C. P. SNOW WAS THE FIRST POPULAR WRITER IN OUR
OWN" GENERATION TO SEEK A BRIDGE BETWEEN THE HUMANE AND
SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINES.
CERTAINLY IT IS TIME WE ABANDONED THE IDEA THAT SCIENCE
AND THE ARTS ARE HOSTILE,. OR EVEN NECESSARILY DISTINCT, A
GREAT DEAL OF MODERN ART HAS A TECHNOLOGICAL EASE. THE
CINEMA IS A PRODUCT OF CHEMISTRY AND ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING;
TELEVISION SPRINGS FROM ADVANCED ELECTRONICS; THE THEATRICAL
ARTS DEPEND MIORE AND MORE ON THEIR SOPHISTICATED TECHNOLOGY
OF STAGECRAFT AND PRODUCTION; LITERATURE RELIES ON MO11DERN
TECHNIQUES OF PRINTING.
W-HAT I HOPE THIS FESTIVAL WILL DO IS CONVINCE US THA
A SOCIETY WITHOUT A RESPECT FOR ART IS AS BARREN AND
DANGEROUS AS A SOCIETY WITHOUT A RESPECT FOR SCIENCE. THE
PRE-SCIENTIFIC AGE IN EUROPE WAS NO LESS BARBAROUS FOR ITS
ARTISTIC GLORIES. a NTO UNTIL THE DAWNING OF THE AFE OF SCIENCE,
WITH THE GROWTH OF SCIENTIFIC METHOD AND SCIENTIFIC
DISCIPLINE, WAS MAN READY TO TEMPER HIS DESTRUCTIVE URGES,
HIS MEDIEVAL FANATICISM, WITH REASON AND TOLERANCE. AND
THE CONVERSE IS EQUALLY TRUE, HAV'E SEEN EXAMPLES
OF ADVANCED TECHNOLOGICAL SOCIETIES ',! ITH CRIPPLIW3RESTRAINTS
ON THE ARTIST IS FREEDOM. I HAVE BEEN CRITICISED IN' RECENT
MONTHS FOR MY FONDNESS FOR ANCIENT G-REECE, THE Uf-. IQUE GLORY
OF GREEK CIVILIZATION W. AS ITS EQUP! L RESPECT FOR SCIENCE AND
THE ARTS; THE TWO WERE HELD IN A PERPETUAL BALANCE, THE GREEK
CONTRIBUTION TO PHYSICS AND MATHEMATICS WAS AS ENDURING AS
TIS CONTRIBUTION TO POETRY AND DRAMA, AND THAT WAS 140 MERE
CO-INCIDENCE: THERE WAS UNDOUBTEDLY A QUALITY IN THE
INTELLECTUAL SPIRIT AND TEMPER OF ' THENS THAT INSPIRED BOTH ART
AND SCIENCE WITH A COMMON PURPOSE,
04JE OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF OUR TIME IS THE
DEPENDENCE OF ART AND SCIENTIFIC ENDEAVOUR ON GOVERNMENT
SUPPORT ON PUBLIC FUNDS.
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I SEE NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT; IT IS PROBABLY INEVITABLE, EVEN
DESIRABLE, PROVIDED ARTISTS AND SCIENTISTS MAINTAIN THEIR
INDEPENDENCE OF GOVERNMENT AUTHORITY, OUR CURRENT BUDGET
FOR THE ARTS is $ 20 MILLION A YEAR, OUR OUTLAYS FOR SCIENCE
COVER AN ENORMOUS RANGE OF DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES.
EXPENDITURE ON THE C. S. I. R. OI AND THE ATOMIC ENERGY
COMMISSION ALONE AMOUNTS TO SOME $ 110 MILLION IN A FULL YEAR.
IN ADDITION, MUCH OF OUR EXPENDITURE-ON TERTIARY EDUCATION IS
DIRECTED TO ISCIENTIFIC AND ARTISTIC OR CULTURAL PROJECTS.
THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A TIME WHEN GOVERNMENTS WERE MORE
INVOLVED IN SCIENCE AND THE ARTS. ( THE GREEKS, INCIDENTALLY,
WERE EXPERTS IN ALL THREE.) THERE HAc, NEVER BEEN A TIME WHEN
SCIENCE AND THE ARTS ACTIVITIES SO PERVASIVE, SO POPULAR, SO
FUNDAMENTAL TO OUR WAY OF LIFE WERE LESS ABLE TO SUPPORT
THEMSELVES. THE FACT IS THAT IN THEIR PUREST FORM THEY HAVE NOTHING
TO DO WITH PROFIT-MAKING, THOUGH BOTH CAN BE APPLIED FOR
COMMERCIAL PURPOSES. AND I MUSTSAY I PREFER THAT OUJR
INVESTMENT IN THESE FIELDS SHOULD BE A COMMUNITY INVESTMENT,
THAT THESE BASIC AREAS OF RESEARCH AND CREATIVITY SHOULD BE
PROTECTED FROM ANY SUSPICION OF PRIVATE GAIN OR OFFICIAL
PATRONAGE. ONLY GOVERNMENTS CAN PROVIDE THE FUNDS FOR AN OPERA
HOUSE: ONLY GOVERNMENTS CAN PROVIDE THE FUNDS FOR A NUCLEAR
REACTOR, A THEATRE, A TELESCOPE OR AN ORCHESTRA. MODERN
ENLIGHTENED GOVERNMENTS ACCEPT THESE THINGS AS BEING JUST AS
MUCH PART OF THEIR RESPONSIBILITY AS EDUCATION OR HEALTH. m
IN OUR POLICIES FOR THE ARTS IN PARTICULAR
WE HAVE SOUGHT TO ENSURE THAT PUBLIC FUNDS ARE DISBURSED
THROUGH INDEPENDENT AGENCIES. WE HAVE LEGISLATION
CURRENTLY BEFORE THE PARLIAMENT TO ESTABLISH THE
AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL FOR THE ARTS AS AN INDEPENDENT
STATUTORY AUTHORITY. IT IS ALREADY ADMINISTERING ITS
POLICIES THROUGH AUTONOMOUS BOARDS WITH COMPLETE
INDEPENDENCE OF* GOVERNMENT OR MINISTERIAL INFLUENCE.
ONLY TWO NIGHTS AGO I INTRODUCED LEGISLATION TO
ESTABLISH IN CANBERRA THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL GALLERY.
IT WILL DEVELOP AND MAINTAIN A NATIONAL COLLECTION OF
WORKS OF ART AND PROVIDE AN ART FOCUS FOR THE WHOLE
AUSTRALIAN COMMUNITY. THE GALLERY WILL BE A STATUTORY
AUTHORITY. THE NATIONAL LIBRARY AND THE. A. B. C. OPERATE
WITH SIMILAR INDEPENDENCE. THESE ARE SOUND PRINCIPLES
AND No GOVERNMENT WOULD WANT TO CHANGE THEM.
THE ARTS BY THEIR NATURE ARE A PUBLIC t ACTIVITY,.
THEY ARE MEANT TO BE SEEN AND HEARD. SCIENCE IS
MORE RETIRING, MORE CLOISTERED MORE ESOTERIC. ONE.
OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT YOUR FESTIVAL IS THAT
THOUSANDS OF AUSTRALIANS WILL COME TO '-EE MORE OF
AUSTRALIA'S CONTRIBUTION TO SCIENTIFIC ACHIEVEMENT AND
INQUIRY. WE HAVE A GREAT RECORD, BUT FAR TOO LITTLE
IS KNOWN. CAN RECALL THREE OCCASIONS AS PRIME MINISTER
WHEN I HAVE HAD THE HONOUR OF OPENING, OR BEING PRESENT
AT THE OPENING, OF NEW SCIENTIFIC FACILITIES AND ALL
OF THEM'WERE SYMBOLIC OF AUSTRALIA'S RENOWNED AND
IMPORTANT WORK IN THEIR FIELDS.
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THERE WAS A NUCLEAR FACILITY AT THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL
UNIVERSITY; OUR WORK IN HIGH ENERGY PHYSICS IS OF GREAT
IMPORTANCE. THERE WAS THE NEW OPTICAL TELESCOPE AT
SIDING SPRINGS, AND THE DEEP SPACE TRACKING STATION AT
TIDBINBILLA. WE ARE AMONG THE LEADING NATIONS IN ASTRONOMY,
PARTICULARLY IN THE FIELD OF RADIO ASTRONOMY, AND WE ARE AN
IMPORTANT LINK IN WORLD-WIDE SPACE TRACKING NETWORKS$
THESE, PERHAPS, ARE THE MORE SPECTACULAR AND POPULAR ASPECTS
OF SCIENCE' I DO NOT FORGET THE QUIET, DEDICATED, VALUABLECONTRIBUTIONS
OF AUSTRALIAN SCIENTISTS To ANTARCTIC RESEARCH,
TO GEOLOGY, TO BIOLOGY, TO MEDICINE, TO PHYSICS. THIS
FESTIVAL WILL BRING MANY ASPECTS OF OUR SCIENTIFIC EFFORT TO
A WIDE AND INTERESTED AUDIENCE.
IT WOULD BE A PITY IS I MADE THIS OCCASION SEEM TOO0
ACADEMIC OR SOLEMN. IT IS, AFTER ALL, A EESI. ALESSENTIALLY
A TIME FOR ENJOYMENT, THERE ARE MANY
OPPORTUNITIES FOR SHEER FUN AND RECREATION, I AM GLAD IT IS
TO BE A BIENNIAL EVENT, AND I AM PARTICULARLY GLAD THAT THE
FIRST IS BEING HELD IN THE NATIONAL CAPITAL, SYMBOLISING THE
CREATIVITY AND ACHIEVEMENT OF THE WHOLE NATION. I AM NOT AN
ARTIST OR A SCIENTIST, BUT AT LEAST I CAN ENJOY AUSTRALIA
AS A CENTRALIST. I CONGRATULATE THE FESTIVAL BOARD FOR THEIR
DEDICATED PLANNING AND PREPARATION,-AUSTRALIA 75 WILL
ENHANCE OUR KNOWLEDGE OF SCIENCE AND OUR ENJOYMENT OF THE ARTS$
JUST AS IMPORTANT, IT WILL BRING THESE ETERMAL DISCIPLINES
TOGETHER, REVEALING THEIR COMMON PURPOSE IN THE GREAT WEB OF
BEAUTY, KNOWLEDGE AND CONTEMPLATION,
IHAVE THE GREATEST PLEASURE IN DECLARING OPEN AUSTRALIA
THE FESTIVAL OF CREATIVE ARTS AND SCIENCES, IN CANBERRA.