FOR PRESS 26 JANUARY 1977
Embargoed until delivery 12.10 p. m.
ADDRESS BY PRIME MINISTER AT THE AUSTRALIA DAY CEREMONY, SYDNEY
Today we are celebrating the 189th anniversary of the foundation.
of Australia by Captain Arthur Ph-illip. Since that impoverished
penal colony struggled to survive in an inhospitable and isolated
l'and, successive generations of Australians have faced great
challenges and worked together to surmount them. Men and women
from all the world's nations have made their home in Australia
seeking in their own way to build a better life for themselves
and their children.
Australia has been a refuge for those who have been dis-olaced
by war, a free society for those escaping from oppressive regimes,
a land of equality and opportunity where class distinction is
abhorrent, and where the racial, political and class conflicts
which divide many less fortunate societies are absent.
We as a people have the greatest opportunity that a nati. on
could ask for. We have the opportunity to use our national
resources and our national capacities to create a better society,
to deal with the problems of poverty, ignorance and inequity which
unfortunately still exist in our nation.
But too many people take the well being of Australia for granted,
believing that it does not require effort or contribution. They
take for granted the opportunity, the freedom, the material and
political equality, and the precious if imperfect, democratic
processes that characterise our society. There is an inadequate
understanding of the fact that democracy is not only the greatest
enterprise in human freedom, but also the most fragile. We must
face this fact and confront the challenges to our democratic
system lest this greatest enterprise in human freedom fail.
One of the problems confronting us today is the expectation of
some people that they are entitled to get whatever they demand,
regardless of the impact of their demands on other people. When
this expectation is frustrated, they assert the right to inconvenience
the whole community. Such expectations are both
irrational and incompatible with our democratic processes.
Yet is not this just what too many have come to expect from
Australia. This expectation takes many forms. People expect
higher wages, no matter what the consequences for-the economy
and the effect on other people. They fail to point out that
other weaker groups must suffer to pay for their demands; that
/ at any
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at any single point in time, if one group gets more, other
weaker groups must get less. One group most affected by this
process is the unemployed. Higher demands for wages have been
satisfied at their expense.
There is another way people demand more they ask Governments
to provide more -subsidies, benefits and programmes regardless
of the consequences, pretending that these demands cost nothing.
Too of-ten, Governments have failed by pretending that they could
provide without cost, and without limit, that programmes were free.
Politicians and Governments neglected to point out that they had
nothing of their own to give that their promises were to be
paid for by taking money away from people such as yourselves
by higher taxation or by inflation. People and Governments
have * fed off one another's weaknesses. People have wanted more
at no cost; Governimtents have sought popularity through promises.
These two weaknesses pose a great threat to democracy. If -they
are to be overcome people must develop a greater awareness of the
things that Governments can and cannot do. People must question
their own demands on Government. Governments must foster this
awareness and tell the truth more plainly. When Governments
promis ' e any programmes, they must make it plain that all the
people of Australia must pay. The day of the cargo cult must
be banished.
On Australia Day 1977 le-t us all as Australians ask ourselves
what are the values that cause us to cherish Australia. What
makes us proud to be Australians. What are the values that
have caused us to make this our home. Then let all of us
those born here and overseas, ask what we have done in past
years that has enhanced these values. What have we done that
may have weakened them. or have we merely taken them for granted
and not thought at all. Then, what do we intend for today and
tomorrow, 1977 and beyond. Are we just going to take Australia
for granted or will we dedicate ourselves to enhancing the
values we all share and to working for the better Australia
of which we all dream.