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EMBARGOE D UNTIL 3.3OPM..
PRIME M INISTER A
Oj1i" NiWG OP' Tfib NEW c0,1,1'' f WALF*; INSTIT( JTP FOR VDAP AND
~ L1NL3 1C~ W , SIEJO. VO.) ANP. ICAPr'ED) BL. ND CJL! J REN
TIIANK YOU FOR TrHE INV~ ITATI~ ON TO BE WITH YOU T111w A1VTERNOON.
I MUST SAY I lFEEJ1 SOMRT117iLTN OF Ali OLD HAND HE?
1' OR I Rr. CAIL, IN 3/, ON TIiS CAM)' USt OISNING T1LHE
BRAILLE L11BHAHY AND SClENCE BLOCK IN THlE CENTRALJ$ tOI
PRa} TQHE BfLIND.
AND IN 1978, 1 VISITED) YOUlt Hl& IXD OP'WIC. hTi'* S', , EON)\ RL
TJO INSPEC'TH BMLLE COVAILIE1.
IT WAS THEN THATi YOU PRE SENW'E ME WITH ' THE~ P' 1 Z) T TWO
VOT-UMR COMPUTERISED BIALLj, EDITIlON 02,' ' IHP' SLNTIMLM; TAi,
BI. OKP1 POR THE 14ATIONAL t03) hAUY IN 02XNBE10ZA.
WITH SUCH A MAJOR BRAKTrHROUGH hAc,' rk i BRAILLE COMPUTER
ALRAbYBEHIfND YOU, THB. INSTITUTP NOW. ACHIPRVS ANOTHrR
MILESTONE~ THROUGH THE 1', biAAL OPENING TODAY OF IT6
NEW SCHJOOL.
IT2 IS A G8NUINI PILEASURFi TrO RP HERE4 TO SEE AT FIRST
HAND TrHIS t'INR INSTITUTION AT WORK.
P1' IT OV' ' ffIRE STRPN(; T) J OF A COMMUNITY . TS MRASURBD BY THE
EXTENT. rjaOWHICH IT PROVIDES CARR AND CONCERN FOR TIHOS"-,
WITH SPI. I Al DI SAbVhNTA; ES,
1 KNOW T14AT SUCH PROVISION IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THIlS FINJf,
COMPIXX; AND-I M1 DELIGHVU TVO P0' 1d4ALL CELfBPA'TF WI'rJI
YOU, THIE COMPLEBTION OF A Nrw SECPTON IT~ T'HE SCHOOL
F01Z MUL'i'i-1ANDICAPPRUD P J.. T& ND 011JJ, FjRPEN.
AS A GOV2RNMENT, WE ) 31LlVl ST1( ON(; IX IN ' IjIE VALUS, AND)
ESSENTIAL ItOLE IN T1117. ( COMUNTYI Or VOLUNTARY WELFARE
ORGANI SA'PTONS.
2
THE GOVERNMENT ACTS UPON THIS BELIEF BY WORKING TIN
PARTNERSHIP WITH VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS; RECOGNISING
THAT IT IS IN THIS ACT OF PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN GOVERl'!, ENT
AND THE COMMUNITY THAT THE MOST PRODUCTIVE WELFARE
WORK IS DONE.
THE ROYAL NEW SOUTH WALES INSTITUTE FOR DEAF A! N BLi:: D
CHILDREN IS ACTIVE TESTIMONY TO THIS TRUTH.
I AM AWARE OF THE THOUSANDS OF VOLUNTARY WORKERS
SEPARATE AUXILIARIES WHO, BY THEIR OWN EFFORTS, AND
IN THEIR OWN WAY, CONTRIBUTE TO THE FUND RAISI PRGLRAI'_ 4E
OF THE INSTITUTE.
IT IS EFFORTS OF THIS KIND WHICH ENCOURAGE AND JUSTIFY
GOVERNMENT SUPPORT.
AND THAT IS WHY THE GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN HAPPY TO CONTRIBUTE
IN EXCESS OF $ 2 MILLION, TO THESE NEW EXTENSIONS AND
TO THE PURCHASE OF EQUIPMENT AND FURNISHINGS FOR THEM.
TODAY WE WITNESS THE TANGIBLE EVIDENCE* OF CO-OPERATION IN
ACTION. THESE EXPANDED FACILITIES FOR MULTI-HANDICAPPED BLIND
CHILDREN EFFECTIVELY TAKE THEIR CARE OUT OF THE " TOO-HARD
BASKET" INTO A PROGRAMME OF ACTIVE AND CONSTRUCTIVE
DEDICATION TO THEIR WELFARE.
WHAT BEGAN IN 1974 AS A PILOT PROGRAMME WITH AN ENROLMENT
OF TEN CHILDREN, NOW STANDS AS THE ONLY SPECIAL SCHOOL
IN AUSTRALIA ESTABLISHED TO EDUCATE AND TRAIN
MULTI-HANDICAPPED BLIND CHILDREN.
INDEED, THE INSTITUTE IS TO BE CONGRATULATED FOR PIONEERING
THIS FACILITY IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE AND PROVIDING
ONE OF ONLY FOUR SIMILAR FACILITIES IN THE WORLD.
IN THIS WAY, TODAY'S CEREMONY CARRIES ON A PROUD TRADITION
WHICH WAS BEGUN AS FAR BACK AS 1860.
SINCE THEN THE INSTITUTION HAS STEADFASTLY ADHERED
TO A POLICY THAT NO CHILD SHOULD BE TURNED AWAY.
IT HAS MOST EFFECTIVELY SERVED DEAF AND BLIND CHILDREN IN NEW
SOUTH WALES OFFERING THEM LOVE, INSTRUCTION AND SUPPORT; AND
IMBUING THEM WiTH A DETERMINATION TO OVERCOME OBSTACLES.
THE RESPECT AND ADMIRATION THAT EXIST WITHIN THE COMTUNITY,
TOWARDS THE INSTITUTE, IS WELL-FOUNDED. / 3
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OF COURSE, WE CAN BE INSPIRED IN OUR EFFORTS BY THE UNSELFISH
AND REMARKABLY SUCCESSFUL WORK OF WORLD FAMOUS TEACHERS LIKE
ANNE SULLIVAN WHO DEVOTED PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL ENERGY,
WHICH EVENTUALLY ENABLED HELEN KELLER TO MAKE SUCH AN
IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION TO AMERICAN LIFE.
BUT THERE ARE MANY OTHERS, NOT AS FAMOUS AS HELEN KELLER AND
ANNE SULLIVAN PARENTS, RELATIVES AND FRIENDS WHO PUT
SIMILAR AND CONSISTENT EFFORT INTO OBTAINING FACILITIES AND
SERVICES NEEDED TO GIVE DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN AN APPROPRI.-ATE
EDUCATION AND WORTHWHILE OPPORTUNITIES IN LIFE.
SOME OF THE PROBLEMS EXPERIENCED BY THE COMMUNITY IN
ADJUSTING TO THE NEEDS OF HANDICAPPED CHILDREN, DERIVE,
I BELIEVE, FROM THE TERM ITSELF, " HANDICAPPED CHILDREN."
IT IS AN UNHAPPY PHRASE WHICH ATTRACTS ATTENTION TO
THE DISABILITIES RATHER THAN TO THE POSITIVE ABILITIES,
APTITUDES AND INTERESTS POSSESSED BY THESE CHILDREN.
INSTITUTES SUCH AS THIS CONSTANTLY REMIND US THAT CHILDREN
WITH HANDICAPS HAVE SIGNIFICANT ASSETS. AND POTENTIAL FOR
GROWTH PROVIDED THEY ARE GIVEN OPPORTUNITIES AND THE
ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH THEY CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEM.
THEREFORE, IN THE EDUCATION OF THESE CHILDREN, THE
PROSPECTS OF THEIR SUCCESS IS GREATLY ENHANCED IF WE
BUILD ON THEIR ASSETS WITH A FULL KNOWLEDGE OF THE
LIMITATIONS THAT THE HANDICAPS MAY IMPOSE.
VIEWED THIS WAY, WE ARE ABLE TO PLACE OUR EMPHASIS ON
THE CHILDREN FIRST AND THE DISABILITY SECOND.
INDEED, THE EXAMPLE SET BY MANY YOUNG PEOPLE WHO RECEIVE
THEIR TRAINING HERE, IS AN EXAMPLE WE CAN ALL PROFITABLY
FOLLOW. FOR, IN LIFE, IT IS ALL TOO EASY TO GIVE IN; TO IMAGINE'
THAT THE CHALLENGES WE FACE ARE TOO DIFFICULT TO SURMOUNT.
WHAT IS DEMON~ STRATED HERE, IS THAT IN SPITE OF THE
DIFFICULTIES AND THE CHALLENGES, THERE ARE ALSO REWARDS.
WHEN THESE REWARDS ARE GAINED IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY,
AND THROUGH PERSISTENCE AND PERSEVERANCE, THEY CAN
BE VERY GRATIFYING INDEED.
THE COURAGE OF THOSE WITH HANDICAPS, OF THEIR PARENTS AND.
THEIR RELATPIVES, IS A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION TO US ALL WHO
WITNESS DAILY THEIR WILLINGNESS AND THEIR SUCCESS IN
OVERCOMING DIFFICULTY. / 4
4
A GOOD DEAL IS SAID THESE DAYS ABOUT THE DIFFICULTIES
CONFRONTING YOUNG PEOPLE GROWINiG UP IN AN INCREASINGLY
COMPLEX SOCIETY.
INEVITABLY, FOR SOME CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS, THE
FUTURE MUST SEEM, AT TIMES, CONFUSING AND DISPIRITING.
THE CHALLENGES FOR HANDICAPPED CHILDREN, AND FOR THEIR
PARENTS ARE MUCH GREATER.
THE PROCESS OF GROWING UP, OF LEARNING, OF ACQUIRING
SPECIAL SKILLS TO ENABLE CHILDREN WITH HANDICAPS TO
TAKE AN ACTIVE ROLE IN THE COMMUNITY NONE OF THESE
ARE EASY.
ASSISTANCE AND ENCOURAGEMENT TO THESE CHILDREN MUST
BE A MATTER OF CONCERN TO US ALL.
CERTAINLY, THE FAMILY MUST NOT BE LEFT TO PROVIDE THIS
ASSISTANCE ENTIRELY FROM ITS OWN RESOURCES.
THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE, INCLUDING GOVERNMENT AND INDUSTRY,
HAVE THEIR RESPONSIBILITY AND THEIR ROLE TO PLAY.
I KNOW THIS ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY HAS BEEN MET WITH
UNPARALLELED SUCCESS BY THE ROYAL NEW SOUTH WALES INSTITUTE
FOR DEAF AND BLIND CHILDREN.
IT MUST NOT BE ALLOWED TO LOSE MOMENTUM.
ONE OF THE MOST PRODUCTIVE ROLES FOR THE GOVERNMENT
LIES IN ENCOURAGING AND SUPPORTING THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR,
AND IN PARTICULAR, INSTITUTIONS SUCH AS THIS.
AS A GOVERNMENT WE ARE PROUD OF OUR REPUTATION AS ECONOMIC
MANAGERS. BUT TALK OF INFLATION AND INTEREST RATES TENDS TO OBSCURE OUR
PROVEN RECORD OF CARE AND CONCERN FOR THOSE IN NEED.
IMPROVED CARE FOR THE DISABLED IS CENTRAL TO OUR COMMITMENT.
OVER MANY YEARS NOW, WE HAVE PROVIDED FINANCE TO COMMUNITY
ORGANISATIONS THROUGH THE HANDICAPPED PERSONS' WELFARE
PROGRAMME. IN THIS WAY, THE GOVERNMENT HAS HELPED IN THE ESTABLISHMENT
AND OPERATION OF FACILITIES FOR HANDICAPPED CHILDREN
AND ADULTS.
LAST YEAR, THE GOVERNMENT PROVIDED SUBSTANTIAL FUNDS
TO ELIGIBLE VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS UNDER THIS PROGRAMME.
WE ALSO ENCOURAGE THE DEVELOPMENT OF REHABILITATION
PROGRAMMES TrO ASSIST HANDICAPPED PEOPLE WHO WANT SO
MUCH TO PLAY A USEFUL PART IN THE COMMUNITY.
BECAUSE OF' OUR BELIEF IN THE GREAT NEED FOR TIIS TYPE
OF ASSISTANCE TO BE MORE FREELY AVAILABLE, THE GOVERNMENT
IN 1977 WIDENED THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR RENMEDIAL
AND TRAINING PROGRAMMES.
WHERE FORMERLY, REHABILITATION HAD BEEN AVAILABLE ONLY
TO THOSE WITH A REASONABLE PROSPECT OF EMPLOYMENT;
IN NOVEMBER 1977, THIS WAS EXTENDED TO THE MENT-ALLY
AND PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED TO ENABLE THEM TO LIVE
INDEPENDENTLY IN THEIR OWN HOMES.
FROM THAT DATE ONWARDS, THIS REHABILITATION HAS BEEN
PROVIDED FREE OF CHARGE TO THESE PEOPLE.
AND LAST YEAR, THE COMMONWEALTH GOVERNMENT MADE INCREASED
PROVISION FOR THIS PURPOSE.
OF COURSE, 1981 HAS BEEN DECLARED BY THiE UNITED NATIONS
AS THE INTERNATIONAL YEAR FOR DISABLED. PERSONS.
SUCH A , DECLARATION HAS THE WHOLEHEARTED SUPPORT OF
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT; AND WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD
TO IT BEING A YEAR OF ACTION AND ACHIEVEMENT FOR HANDICAPPED
PEOPLE IN AUSTRALIA.
I HOPE THAT IT WILL ENCOURAGE A COMBINED EFFORT, FROM
DISABLED PEOPLE, VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS, GOVERNMENTS
AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE, TO PROMOTE PUBLIC AWARENESS
OF THE NEEDS OF THE DISABLED.
THE SUCCESS OF THE INTERNATIONAL YEAR FOR DISABLED
PERSONS WILL BE MEASURED BY THE EXTENT TO WHICH IT
PROVIbES FURTHER IMPETUS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SERVICES TO
ASSIST THE INTEGRATION OF HANDICAPPED PEOPLE INTO THE
COMMUNITY. THERE IS VIRT UALLY NO AREA OF GOVERNMENT, OR COMMUNITY
ACTIVITY, WHICH WOULD NOT BE IN A POSITION TO MAKE
A POSITIVE CONTRIBUTION TO AUSTRALIA'S OBSERVATION
OF THE INTERNATIONAL YEAR; AND I URGE THEM TO DO SO.
IT IS MOST APPROPRIATE THAT DURING THE MONTHS LEADING
UP TO 1981, THIS OUTSTANDING COMPLEX SHOULD BE OPENED.
THE GOVERNMENT IS PROUD OF ITS PRODUCTIVE PARTNERSHIP
WITH THE INSTITUTE IN ENABLING THIS FACILITY TO COME
ON LINE.
BUT THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THlE INSTITUTE ARE SUBSTANITIALLY
ASSISTED BY SUPPORT FROM MANY SECTIONS OF THE COMMUNITY.
IN PARTICULAR, I COMMEND MOST WARMLY THE ROYAL NEW
SOUTH WALES BOWLING ASSOCIATION. / 6
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THROUGH ITS AFFILIATED BOWLING CLUBS, AND MAGNIFICENTLYSUPPORTED
BY THOUSANDS OF BOWLERS THROUGHOUT NEW SOUTH WALES,
IT HAS RAISED OVER A QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE
INSTITUTE IN 18 MONTHS.
THERE COULD BE NO MORE FITTING WAY FOR YOUR ASSOCIATION
TO COMMEMORATE ITS CENTENARY THAN IN CONTRIBUTING,
SO UNSELFISHLY, TO SUCH A WORTHWHILE CHARITY AS THE
INSTITUTE FOR DEAF AND BLIND CHIL1DREN IN THIS STATE.
I KNOW THAT THE SAME SPIRIT MOTIVATES THE MANAGEMENT
OF CHANNEL ' PEN IN THE CONDUCT, EVERY TWVJO YEARS, OF
THEIR TELETHON; AND THE GENEROUS GOINTRIBUTIONS OF CONCERNED
CITIZENS AND ORGANISATIONS TO THE CHANNEL TEN APPEAL
HAVE HELPED LESSEN THE BURDEN OF BUILDING COSTS FOR
THIS SCHOOL.
AND SO IT IS WITH THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE AND ORGANISATIONS
THROUGHOUT NEW SOUTH WALES WHOSE EFFORTS HAVE HELPED GIVE,
THESE YOUNG AUSTRALIANS NEW DIRECTION IN LIFE.
I HOPE THAT MANY PEOPLE WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
SEE AT FIRST HAND THE WORK WHICH IS CARRIED OUT HERE
BY STAFF AND PUPILS.
I KNOW THAT IN THIS NEW SCHOOL ALL OF THE STAFF,' INCLUDING
THE TEACHING STAFF, ARE SUPPORTED BY THE INSTITUTE
WHICH MAKES ITS EXISTENCE, AND ITS ACHIEVEMENTS, A
PROUD RESULT OF CO-OPERATIO. 1 BETWEEN THE INSTITUTE,
THE COMMUNITY AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
I AM CONFIDENT THAT THESE SERVICES WILL BENEFIT IMMENSELY
THE CHILDREN WHO USE THEM.
IT IS A PLEASURE TO BE AMONGST YOU.
I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING OF THE PROGRESS THAT YOU
MAKE IN THE FUTURE.
TO THE YOUNG CHILDREN, I EXPRESS THE HOPE THAT YOU
WILL ALL WORK HARD WITH YOUR TEACHERS; THAT YOU WILL
UTILISE TO THE FULL THIS SPLENDID ENVIRONMENT; AND
THAT BY YOUR EFFORTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS YOU WILL BE AN
INSPIRATION TO US ALL.
I HAVE MUCH PLEASURE IN DECLARING OPEN THIS SPECIAL
SCHOOL FOR MULTI-HANDI CAPPED BLIND CIHILDREN.
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