SPEECH BY THE PRJN'E MINISTER, E. G. WHIT1LJ1, M.
TO THE APEX CONVENT1iOWI ALURY
FRIDAY, 1VLARCH 2 1975
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION A NEW PARTNERSHIP
THE BASIC CONTRACT BETWEEN THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT
AND THE AUSTRALIAN PEOPLE WAS SPELT OUT IN THE POLICY
SPEECH WHICH I DELIVERED ON BEHALF OF THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR
PARTY FOR THE ELECTIONS OF i972. IN THAT SPEECH I SAID:-
" OUR PROGRAM HAS THREE GREAT AIMS. THEY ARE:
To PROMOTE EQUALITY;
To INVOLVE THE PEOPLE OF AUSTRALIA IN
THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESSES OF OUR' LAND;
AND TO LIBERATE THE TALENTS AND UPLIFT THE
HORIZONS OF THE AUSTRALIAN PEOPLE".
THE INTERVENING TWO YEARS'AND FOUR MONTHS HAS
BEEN A PERIOD OF VERY GREAT TURBULENCE AND TURMOIL AT HOME
AND AROUND THE WORLD. GOVERNMENTS EVERYWHERE HAVE HAD TO
DEAL WITH PROBLEMS OF RAPID CHANGE NOT EXPERIENCED IN THE
LIFETIME OF THE OLDEST OF US HERE, IN ALL THE MIXED ECOr" OMIES1
THE ECONOMIC SYSTEM IS UNDERGOING UNEXAMPLED STRESS. IN ALL
THE DEMOCRACIES, THE POLITICAL SYSTEMS ARE UNDER PROFOUND
CHALLENGE. GOVERNMENTS, BUSINESSe ORGANISATIONS, GROUPS,
FAMILIES, INDIVIDUALS ARE BEING CALLED UPON TO ADJUST AND
ADAPT TO CHANGE AT A PACE AND TO A DEGREE SELDOM, IF EVER,
ENCOUNTERED IN H-ISTORY. s12
IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES IT MIGHT APPEAR THAT PRINCIPLES
PROCLAIMED FOR THE PURPOSES OF AN ELECTION MORE THAN
TWO YEARS AGO WOULD HAVE LITTLE RELEVANCE TODAY. THERE MAY
BE THOSE WHO BELIEVE THAT THE SHEER NUM", BER OF DECISIONS WHICH
HAVE HAD TO BE MADE, THE SPEED WITH WHICH THEY HAVE HAD TO
BE MADE HAVE OBSCURED OR EVEN OVER-RIDDEN BASIC PRINCIPLES,
IDO BELIEVE, HOWEVER. THAT IN THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE YEARSO
THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT WILL BE SEEN TO HAVE PROMOTED THE
THREE BASIC PRINCIPLES I PUT FORWARD IN 1972,. THE PRINCIPLES
WHICH ARE THE BASIS OF OUR CONTRACT WITH THE PEOPLE, WITH
FIDELITY AND CONSISTENCY.
AT THIS APEX CONVENTION, IT IS THOROUGHLY
APPROPRIATE THAT I SHOULD TRY TO PUT THE POLICIES AND PROGRAMS
OF THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT IN THE PERSPECTIVE'OF
THE SECOND AIM WHICH I ASSERTED IN 1972 TO INVOLVE THE
PEOPLE OF AUSTRALIA IN THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESSES OF
OUR NATION. IT IS APPROPRIATE THAT I SHOULD DO SO BEFORE AN
AUDIENCE OF APEXIANS, MEMBERS OF THE MOST CONCERNED, THE
MOST INVOLVED OF ALL OUR COMMUNITY SERVICE ORGANISATIONS.
IT IS APPROPRIATE THAT I SHOULD DO SO IN THIS CITY, WHERE
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN ONE OF THE HIGHEST TASKS THAT
CIVILISED MAN-CAN UNDERTAKE THE CREATION OF A GREAT CITYWILL
BE CRUCIAL IN DETERMINING THE SUCCESS OR FAILURE OF A
NOBLE EXPERIMENT. me J3
3
THE PROGRAI-UNDERTAKEN BY THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT
HAS MEANT A GREATER DEGREE OF INVOLVEMENT BY THE NATIONAL
GOVERNMENT IN MATTERS LIKE SCHOOLS. HOSPITALS, iWELFARE AND
CITIES THAN HAD HITHERTO BEEN ACCEPTED IN AUSTRALIA, THE
UN4DERLYING PHILOSOPHY IS THIS: IN MODERN COMMUNITIES, EVEN
THE WEALTHIEST FAMILY CANNO0T PROVIDE ITS MEMBERS WITH THE
BEST EDUCATION, WITH THE BEST MEDICAL TREATMENT, THE BEST
ENVIRONMENT, UNAIDED BY THE COMMUNITY. INCREASINGLY, THE
BASIC SERVICES AND OPPORTUNITIES WHICH DETERMINE THE REAL
STANDARD OF LIFE OF A FAMILY OR AN INDIVIDUAL CAN ONLY BE
PROVIDED BY THE COMMUNITY AND ONLY TO THE EXTENT TO WHICH
THE COMMUNITY IS WILLINIG TO PROVIDE THEM. EITHER THE COMMUNITY
PROVIDES THEM OR THEY WILL NOT BE* PROVIDED AT ALL. IN THE
AUSTRALIAN CONT EXT, THIS MEANS THAT THE COMMUNITY, THROUGH
THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT, MUST FINANCE THEM OR THEY WILL NOT
BE FINANCED AT ALL. THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT IS DETERMINED
THAT THESE SERVICES AND OPPORTUNITIES WILL BE PROVIDED AND
THAT THEY WILL BE FINANCED. AND A NATIONAL FINANCIAL
COMMITMENT MUST INEVITABLY MEAN A NATIONAL INVOLVEMENT.
BOTH BEFORE AND SINCE WE CAME TO OFFICE, THIS
APPROACH THIS NATIONAL INVOLVEMENT HAS BEEN CRITICISED
ON A NUMBER OF GROUNDS, I'D LIKE TO DEAL WITH TWO OF THE
CRITICISMS. ONE IS THE CHARGE OF CENTRALISM. THE OTHER IS
THE FEAR THAT A BLOATED BUREAUCRACY BUREAUCRACIES ARE OF
COURSE ALWAYS BLOATED -THE FEAR THAT UNFEELING PUBLIC
SERVANTS IN CANBERRA -AND PUBLIC SERVANTS IN CANBERRA ARE
ALWAYS UNFEELING WILL DESTROY COMMUNITY INITIATIVE, & a
COMMUNI-TY INVOLVEMENT, EITHER BY MAKING VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS
LIKE APEX REDUNDANT OR BY THROTTLiING THEM WITH RED
TAPE. IMAINTAIN, ON THE CONTRARY, THESE TWO PROPOSITIONS:-
FIRST, THAT OUR NATIONAL COMMUNITY PROGRAMS WILL
REPLACE THE EXISTING STATE CENTRALISM WITH GENUINE REGIONAL
INVOLVEMENT AND PARTICIPATION;
AND SECONDLY, THAT THE PROGRAMS PROVIDE FOR, OR
RATHER, POSITIVELY, REQUIRE A LEVEL OF INVOLVEMENT AND
INITIATIVE BY GROUPS AND INDIVIDUALS IN THE COMMUNITY WHICH
MAKES THE WORK OF VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS LIKE APEX MORE
RELEVANT, MORE REWARDING, MORE EFFECTIVE, MORE EXCITING,
THAN EVER BEFORE. LATER, I SHALL REFER TO SOME SPECIFIC PROGRAMS
IN WELFARE, HEALTH, EDUCATION AND AREA IMPROVEMENT WHERE
WE SEEK AND NEED PARTICIPATION BY AND COOPERATION WITH
COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS, PROGRAMS IN WHICH APEX IS ALREADY
INVOLVED. I SHOULD SAY, HOWEVER, THAT OUR WISH FOR COMMUNITY
INVOLVEMENT IS BEING PUT-INTO EFFECT OVER A VERY WIDE RANGE
OF POLICY MAKING AND DECISION TAKING. a
THE NUMEROUS ROYAL COMMISSIONS, COMMITTEES OF INQUIRY
AND TASK FORCES WE HAVE ESTABLISHED ARE NOT ONLY DESIGNED TO
PROVIDE THE BEST ADVICE FROM THE BEST QUALIFIED MEN AND WOMEN.
THEY HAVE ALSO DEIMONSTRATED OUR INTENTION TO HAVE IFULL PUBLIC
INQUIRY AND FREE PUBLIC DEBATE BEFORE FAR-REACHING DECISIONS
ARE TAKEN. THERE IS NO BETTER ILLUSTRATION THAN THE ROYAL
COMISSION ON AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION ITSELF.
HERE WE ARE TRYING TO GET TO THE VERY HEART OF THE MATTERTHE
FUNDAMENTAL RELATION4S BETWEEN THE PUBLIC SERVICE AND
THE GENERAL COMMUNITY.
SHORTL> AFTER ITS ESTABLISHMENT, THE COMMISSION
INVITED INTERESTED ORGANISATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS TO MAKE
WRITTEN SUBMISSIONS TO IT ON MATTERS RELATING TO THE TERMS
OF REFERENCE. THE COMMISSION'WROTE TO MORE THAN 150 GOVERNMENT
AGENCIES AND 500 ORGANISATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS THROUGHOUT
AUSTRALIA, BUSINESS GROUPS, CHURCHES, VOLUNTARY SERVICE
ORGANISATIONS, EMPLOYER AND EMPLOYEE ASSOCIATIONS, AND PROFESSIONAL
AND WELFARE BODIES, TO INFORM THEM OF THE TERMS OF
REFERENCE AND SEEKING THEIR COMMENTS.
W4ITH THE AID OF THE AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL OF SOCIAL
SERVICE, H ELP AND ENCOURAGEMENT WAS GIVEN TO LESS ARTICULATE
AND LESS WELL-ORGANISED CITIZENS TO PREPARE SUBMISSIONS. THE
ROYAL COMMISSION's ADVISER ON COMMUNITY RELATIONS AND HIS
STAFF ASSISTED AND SOLICITED MANY SUCH SUBMISSIONS TO
GENERATE AS WIDE A HEARING OF PUBLIC VIEWS AS POSSIBLE. 111/ 6
AT EACH PLACE WHERE A FORM-' AL HEARING WAS HELD, PUBLIC MEETINGS
WERE ARRANJGED FOR INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANISATIONS TO
PUT FORWARD EITHER ORAL OR WRITTEN SUBMISSIONS, SIX HUNDRED
PEOPLE TOOK PART IN THESE MEETINGS.
THIS HAS BEEN AN EXAMPLE-0F COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION
IN A MATTER OF FUNDAMENTAL IMPORTANCE AT A LEVEL QUITE NEW
To AUSTRALIA. 14E HAVE ADOPTED THE SAME APPROACH WITH THE WORKING
GROUP ON RURAL POLICY WHICH PRODUCED THE GREEN PAPER ON
RURAL POLICY, WITH THE INDUSTRIES ASSISTANCE COMMISSION, AND
WITH [ NVIRONMENTAL-IMPACT STATEMENTS, I! E HAVE TAKEN THE
VIEW THAT PUBLIC PARTICIPATION BY THE GOVERNED IS A FUNDAMENTAL
CHARACTERISTIC OF DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT, INITIALLY
AND INEVITABLY, PUBLIC PARTICIPATION WILL MEAN THAT THE
BEST ORGANISED AND THE MOST ARTICULATE. THE MOST ACTIVE WILL
TEND TO HAVE THE FIRST AND GREATEST SAY. WE DO WISH HOWEVER,
TO* PROVIDE THE MACHINERY A14D TO DEVELOP A LEVEL OF PUBLIC
AWARENESS WHICH WILL ENABLE THE WHOLE PUBLIC TO BE INVOLVED
AND INCLUDED IN A GENUINE, MEANINGFUL WAY.
THESE ARE EXAMPLES OF PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT iN DISCUSSING AND FORMING POLICY. W4E
WANT HOWEVER, PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
IN IMPLEMENTING POLICY. WHE WANT COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION
THROUGH COMMUNITY ACTION, LET ME GIVE EXAMPLES OF HOW WE
ARE TRYING TO ACHIEVE THIS IN THE FIELDS OF SOCIAL WELFARE,
CHILD CARE AND EDUCATION, HEALTH AND THE ENHANCEMENT OF THE
PLACES WE LIVE IN.
THE AUSTRALIAN Ass ISTANCE PLAN
THE AUS T R tL I Ass ISTANCE PLAN IS A PIONEERING
EXPERI'" IENT IN COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT. ITS ESSENTIAL PURPOSE
IS TO SEEK OUT AND MEET AREAS OF SOCIAL N4EED HITHERTO EITHER
IGNORED OR UNIDENTIFIED BY . THE-EXISTING WELFARE AGENCIESNATIONAL,
STATE, LOCAL OR VOLUNTARY. ITS ESSENTIAL CHARACTERISTIC
IS THAT ITS WORK IS BASED ON REGIONS, ON REGIONAL
COMMUNITIES AND THAT ITS WORK AND PLANNING IS TO BE DONE
BY GENUINELY INDEPENDENT, GENUINELY COMMUNITY BASED GROUPS
OF CONCERNED CITIZENS WHO KNOW THE SPECIAL NEEDS OF THE
COMMUNITY OF WHICH THEY ARE A PART.
THE 9ASIC PLANNING UNIT IS CALLED THE REGIONAL
COUNCIL FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPM~ ENT. SUCH COUNCILS HAVE ALREADY
BEEN SET UP IN THIRTY-SIX REGIONS THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA. THE
COUNCILS ACT AS A COMMUNITY FORUM FOR DISCUSSION AND A
COMMUNITY INSTRUMENT FOR ACTION IN IMPROVING EXISTING WELFARE
SERVICES AND PERHAPS MORE IMPORTANT IN THE LONG RUN, EXPERIMENTING
IN NEW FORMS OF WELFARE. As ITS CONTRIBUTION, THE
NATIONAL GOVERNMENT: . VM AKES SPECIFIC GRANTS TO TH E REGIONAL COUNCILS
TO COVER ADMINISTRATION;
aPROVIDES A ' CAPITATION GRANT'I OF $ 2 FOR EACH
PERSON4 IN THE REGION FOR SMALL SCALE, SHORTTERM
SOCIAL WELFARE PROJECTS;
aAND MAKES A ' COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT' GRANT TO
PAY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OFFICERS TO STIMULATE
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.
ANJINITIATING .1 GRANT IS AVAILABLE TO ASSIST THE FORMATION
OF A COU1NCIL WITH DIVERSE REPRESENTATION FROM COMMUNITY
ORGANISATION. THE CHILDREN'S COMMISSIONYOU WILl-BL AWARE THAT THE AUSTRALIAN GoVER1NMENT
HAS DECIDED TO ESTABLISH A CHILDREN'S COMMISSION, IN THE
OPERATION OF THIS BODY, WE ARE COMMITTED TO THE PRINCIPLE
OF INVOLVING THE COMMUNITY AS CLOSELY AS POSSIBLE IN THE
PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT OF PROGRAMS SPONSORED BY THE
COMM ISS ION. a THE CHILDREN'S COMMISSION WILL PROVIDE HELP FOR
A WIDE RANGE OF IMAGINATIVE AND FLEXIBLE PROGRAMS DEVOTED
TO LOOKING AFTER CHILDREN BEFORE THEY REACH SCHOOL AGE AND
CARING FOR OLDER CHILDREN OUTSIDE SCHOOL HOURS,
THE DECISION TO SET UP A CHILDREN'S COMMISSION
WAS ITSELF A RESPONSE TO COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIONS FOR
COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN PROVIDING CARE FOR CHILDREN. IT
RECOGNISES THAT THE CARE PROVIDED SHOULD NOT BE RIGID OR
HIGHLY INSTITUTIONALISED,~ BUT THAT CHOICES FOR PARENTS AND
THEIR CHILDREN SHOULD BE MAXIMISED: a a / 9
THE POLICY OF THE CHILDREN'S COMMISSION WHEN IT
1 L LI.; ANND, U TIHF INTlR IMN COMMf. ITTI:! vWlH ICH IS NOW
CARRYING OUT ITS WORKK, I; ONE OF MAIllTAINING THE CLOSEST
POCSS lLE CONTACT WITH THll: COMMUNITY.
THE INTERIM COMMITTEE AND ITS VARIOUS STATE
COMMITTEES HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED A NUMBER OF REQUESTS FOR
ASSISTANCE FROM COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS AND WILL BE ENCOURAGING
MORE IN THE COMING FINANCIAL YEAR.
PART OF THE FINANCE TO BE ALLOCATED BY THE
CHILDREN'S COMMISSION WILL GO TO THE STATES FOR SPECIFIC
PURPOSE GRANTS, AND PART OF THE FINANCE WILL GO DIRECT TO
COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS. BUT THE COMMISSION WILL EXPECT
THAT PROGRAMS TO BE SUPPORTED WILL BE THOSE WHICH THE
COMMUNITY HAS SHOWN IT WANTS, NOT JUST THOSE WHICH IT HAS
BEEN TOLD IT WANTS, AND THAT ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE RUNNING
OF THE PROGRAMS WILL ALLOW FOR A GENUINE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.
SCHOOLS COMMIIISSIONJ THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERqNMENT HAS MADE AVAILABLE
7.2 MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE 1977-75 TRIENINIUiM TO SUPPORT
INNOVATORY PROJECTS A: iD FIELD-13ASED EXPERIMENTS ASSOCIATED
WITH PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION. THE INNOVATIONS
PROGRAM WAS ESTAB. ILS iHD TO ACCEPT PROPOSALS FROM SCHOOLS,
TEACHERS, PARETNS, OR COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS.
THE INNOVATIONS PROGRAM kRPRIESENTS A MAJOR
EFFORT TO BRING ABOUT IMPROVEMENTS IN OUR EDUCATIONAL
SYSTEM THROUGH THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF COMMUNITY INITIATIVE
AND THE DEVOLUTION OF RESPONSIBILITY FROM THE CENTRE TO
THE REGION. THE GENERAL AIMS OF THE PROGRAM ARE:
To IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF SCHOOLING IN AUSTRALIA;
TO ENCOURAGE DIVERSITY;
TO STIMULATE INNOVATION IN SCHOOLS;
To ENHANCE THE CAPACITIES OF ALL THOSE
COMMITTED TO EDUCATION TO GENERATE
THEIR OWN IMPROVEMENTS IN SCHOOLS. ./ 11
1.1.
COMMUNITY IHEALITH iOGiAii
THE COiMUNITY HEALTH PROGRAM IS AIMED AT THE
PROVISION OF SERVICES IN THE COMMUNITY WHERE PEOPLE LIVE
OR WORK AS DISTINCT FROM THOSE AVAIL.. ABLE IN HOSPITALS AND
SIMILAR INSTITUTIONS. COMMUNIIT. IY I-IALTH SERVICES HELP
PiRSONS -TO MEEl TIiE I HEALTH AND WELFI. ARE NEEDS AT CONVENIENT
LOCATIONS AND 0O REiTURN H1 ME AFTER ATTENDANCES, THIS
LESSENS DEPENDENCE N0 INS IITUTI ONSI AND FREQUENTLY PRESENTS
AN ALTERNATIVE TO GOING INTO HOSPITAL.
PEOPLE INVOLVED IN DECISION-MAKING ON THEIR LOCAL
HEALTH SERVICE WILL BE GIVEN OPPORTUNITIES TO INFLUENCE THE
ACCEPTABILITY AND AVAILABILITY OF SERVICES. IT WILL ALSO
PROVIDE A MEANS OF EDUCATING THE COMMUNITY AND CHANGING
CONVENTIONAL EXPECTATIONS. PEOPLE PARTICIPATING IN THE
MANAGEMENT OF THEIR OWN HEALTH SERVICES WILL HAVE A BETTER
UNDERSTANDING OF THE LIMITATIONS OF MEDICINE, THE COSTS AND
EFFECTIVENESS OF PARTICULAR SERVICES, AND THE INDIVIDUAL'S
RESPONSIBILITY FOR PERSONAL AND FAMILY HEALTH. ./ 12
AREA IlMPROVEMENT PROGRAiIS
T-HE AREi. A Ii'ifVEkLMENT PjROGRAM IS INTENDED TO
SUBSTANTIALLY IMI'iOV i LEi EQ UALITY O1: LIFE IN NOMINATED
REGIONS THROUGH PROJLCTS DETERMINED BY THE PEOPLE OF
THE REGION. A FUNDAMEI'TAL CONCEPT IN THE AIP IS THE
ENCOURAGEMENT OF COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN MAKING
DECISIONS THAT AFFECT THEIR REGION . AND THEIR WAY OF
LIFE, THE AlP HAS BEEN AN EXERCISE IN CO-OPERATIVE
FEDERALISM WIYH STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS BEING
INVOLVED CLOSELY IN ALL ASPECTS OF THE PROGRAM, THE
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT IS PROVIDING $ 14.1 MILLION IN
1974-75 FOR AREA IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS, / 13
13
iREGIONAL ELi'OYlM. T DViLOPiiT SCiEM-i
I GIVE A FIiNAL iXAIMPLE OF A COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
IN NATIONAL PROGRAMS ONE IN wiLIC APEX'HAS GIVEN
NOTAbLE COOPERATION. lUNDLlTilH E RGIONJAL EMPLOYMENT
DEVELOPMENT SCHL'EME, APEX CLUBS iTHROUGHiOUT AUSTRALIA HAVE
SS'PONSORIE) A NUMBER OF PIROJIECI WiHICH HAVE A DOUBL VALUE.
THEY PROVIDE SOCIALLY MEANI INGFUL WORK FOR THE IMMEDIAT
VICTIMS OF OUR PRESENT ECONOMIC DIFFICULTIES AND THEY
LEAVE BEHIND SOMETHINIG OF ENDURING WORTH TO THE COMMUNITY.
THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT WELCOMES ANY APPLICATION FROM
APEX CLUBS FOR APPROVAL FOR PROJLCTS WHICH WOULD HAVE A
LASTING BENEFIT FOR THE COMMUNITY WHILE AT THE SAME TIME
GIVING MEN AND WOMEN PRESENTLY UNEMPLOYED SATISFYING,
WORTHWHILE WORK. THE WHOLE THRUST OF ALL THESE PROGRAMS
AND I COULD MENTION MANY MORE IS THAT A GREAT NUMBER OF
CONCERNED AUSTRALIAN MEN AND WOMEN ARE ALREADY INVOLVED
IN COMMUNITY DECISION-MAKING AND COMMUNITY ACTION IN
COOPERATION WITH GOVERNMENT, IN A WAY THAT WAS NEVER
THOUGHT POSSIBLE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO. IT IS IMPORTANT
THAT WE AS A GOVERNMENT SHOULD PROVIDE MORE AND MORE
OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL AUSTRALIANS, PARTICULARLY THE
DISADVANTAGED AND THE HANDICAPPED IN OUR MIDST. . ll^
BUT IT I " s EQUALLY I MPORTANT IN TERMS OF
THE STRENGTH AND VIGOUR OF THE WHOLE COMMUNITY THAT
THOSE OF US WHO ARiL NOT UNDERIPRIVILEGED, NOT HANDICAPPED,
THOSE OF US WHO BY VIRTUE. OF WEALTH OR HEALTH OR GOOD
FORTUNE CAN SERVE, SHOULD HAVE ENHANCED OPPORTUNITIES
TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY, SO WE ARE TRYING IN TRUTH
BOTH TO ENHANCE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE DISA) VANTAGED AND
IN A JIFFERENT BUT RELATED SENSE THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR
THE ADVANTAGED OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY,
I SHOULD HOWEVER, ADD A WARNING. ALL THESE
PROGRAMS I HAVE MENTIONED ARE NOVEL FOR AUSTRALIA AND
EXPERIMENTAL IN AUSTRALIA, BECAUSE THEY ARE NEW,
BECAUSE THEY ARE TENTATIVE, THEY LACK THE POLITICAL
CLOUT THAT COMES FROM YEARS AND YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AND
EXPERTISE BECAUSE THEY SEEK OUT NEW AND NEGLECTED
AREAS OF NEED, THEY MAY BE REGARDED AS POLITICALLY
PERIPHERAL. THEY HAVE NOT HAD THE TIME TO BECOME
SACRED COWS. BECAUSE THEY ARE DESIGNED TO SERVE THE
NEEDS OF THE WEAKEST, OF THE LEAST ARTICULATE MEMBERS
OF THE COMMUNITY, THEY MAY BE REGARDED AS POLITICALLY
DISPENSABLE.
l O F Hi : G i I lI/ E I I Oi I D
T IL-rFFAI. Ai i AC; [) ILAN Ar) iWc OllNAL iPI. OYIMIHT
EVIJEOIP ; i-NT S CIIE-I'L A iR A IR ADY IIiE'R C IAI. dGE FROM
SUM E OF HiE o AAIl l UVI. G IML. I'JS IN I il-IGH COUI( T
NOT, OF CGURSEL ON ANY GRIOU. WDS OF TfI-IR SOCIAL VALUE
BUT ON lH E cCiOl-NSTITUTINAt. ARGUMi'lT THAT THEY SHOULD
BE PROVIDED, IF AT ALL, iY OR TI-IHOU THE STATE GOVERNMI
' TS. 1, . ANmD IF THAT CilALLENE SII:) ILD SUCCEIED, NO LESS THAN
7 NATIOHNAL WELFARF PROGRAMS, SiE FJ: THEM INITIATEDI) BY
THE PREVIOUS,. GOVCRNMENT, COULD BE I'iPERILLED. FOR
EXAMPLE, PROGRAMS FOR AGED AND HOMELESS AND HANDICAPPED
AND ABORIGINAL PEOPLE, ISOLATED CHILDREN, HEALTH CENTRES,
LEGAL AID OFFICES, NURSING HOMES AND HOME NURSING,
MEALS ON WHEELS, FLYING DOCTORS AND BLOOD TRANSFUSION.
THE COMMON DISTINGUISHING FACTOR IN ALL THESE PROGRAMS
IS THAT THEY ARE DESIGNED TO MEET SPECIAL NEEDS OF THE
WEAK AND INARTICULATE SECTIONS OF THE COMMUNITY THE
OLD THE SICK, MIGRANTS, ABORIGINES, THE VERY YOUNG. IF
THESE GROUPS WERE POLITICALLY POWERFUL, IF THEY COULD
MOUNT EFFECTIVE POLITICAL PRESSURE, THE GOVERNMENTS
WHICH DARED TO PLACE THESE PROGRAM IN JEOPARD'Y WOULD
BE DESTROYED. BUT AS IT IS, THE THING PASSES OFF WITH
SCARCE A MURMUR,
AGAIN, BECiU 3E THESE PROGiRAMS THE ONES I
HAVE NiENTIONED TODAY AS ', W'ELL AS THE ONES THREATENED
BY THE HIGH COURr CHALLEINGE CAN HELP ONLY THE WEAK,
TiiL UNDLI P/ I VI LEGTL THItL INARTI CUL. ATC, THEY WOULD BE
THE FIRST TO GO, TiIl FIR. ST TO BE K'NOCKED OFF IN ANY
FULL SCALE ONSLAUGHT AGAINST PUBLIC SPENDING AND PUBLIC
INIIATIVE. lllE TRAGLDY IS THAT WHATEVER VALUE THESE
PROGRAMS MIGHT HAVE FOR THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS OF
OUR FELLOW CITIZENS, WHATEVER THE COST IN HUMAN HAPPINESS
AND HUMAN HOPE THEIR ABOLITION MIGHT MEAN, IT WOULD BE
QUITE FEASIBLE POLITICALLY TO DUMP THEM ALL AT ALMOST
NO POLITICAL COST.
THE ONLY PROTECTION IS THE CONSCIENCE AND
THE CONCERN OF THE INTERESTED AND ARTICULATE GROUPS IN
THE COMMUNITY, OF WHICH I FIRMLY BELIEVE APEX IS IN THE
FRONT RANK. IT IS BECAUSE APEX HAS BEEN INVOLVED AND
. WILL BE FURTHER INVOLVED IN THESE SORTS OF COMMUNITY
PROJECTS, IT IS BECAUSE APEXIANS KNOW THEIR VALUE, KNOW
WHAT THEY MEAN TO THOUSANDS OF OUR FELLOW-CITIZENS, THAT
I BELIEVE I CAN COUNT UPON APEX TO PROTECT THEM AS WELL
AS TO PROMOTE THEM. A VOICE MUST BE RAISED ON BEHALF
OF THE VOICELESS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND I LOOK TO APEX
TO GIVE IT. s / 17
17
ISA[ D iEEF3R f HAT WE, LIi K-ALL CCOhIPARABLE
COMNfIIITI ES, ARE-GO IN'G TiIRO\ UGi-i A PELRIOGD OF EXTRAORD INARY
ECO'OU11 C DIFFICULTIC'lL& i ' INIFICAJ11Tl-Y, AnPEX WAS FORMED
IN A TIM E OF EVEN GREATLR HARDSHIP ANDil DIFFICULTY. * IT
WAS A RESPONSE BY A iiAf'JDFUL OF CONCERNELD AUSTRALIANS AT
THE TIMiE OF THE DEFRESSImJ. iHOUGH -hMERE IS A SII1LARITY
IN THE UNIVERSAI.. IT\( OF FRESENT WORLD ECONOMIC PROBLEMS,
THERE IS' ONE VEfY GNEi5AT SAL. UTARY DIFFi: RENCE. THE GREAT
DIFFERENCE BETWEN THEN AND NOW IS iiE DEGREE OF SOCIAL
CONCERN, THE EXTENT TO WH:-IICH THOSE IIN TROUBL. E ARE
SUPPORTED BY THE CO1NU1iINTY, BY A CObICERNED COMMUNITY,
BY TilE CONSCIENCE OF Ti! E COMMUNITY. YET THAT CONCERN
AND THAT CONSCIENCE CAN ALL TOO EASILY GO TO SLEEP.
I LOOK NOT LEAST TO APEX TO KEEP THAT CONSCIENCE AWAKE,
TO KEEP THAT CONCERN ALIVE,