PM Transcripts

EMBARGOED UNTIL MAJOR EVENING NEWS
BULLETINS
PRIME MINISTER
FOR. MEDL\ MONDAY, JANUARY 31 2983
AUSTRALIAN OLYMPIC FEDERATION
APPEAL LAUNCH
In 19,84, Australian athletes will be taking part iii the
Olympic Games to be held in Los Aingeles. our team will
also compete at the Winter Olympics which will be held
in Yugoslavia in February of the same year.
The Olympic Games are the most famous of all international
sporting competitions. I know that the most important part
of the Olympic ideals is to compete. But I also know that
when Australians compete, they are determined to win. That
determination is the essence of competition. The determination
of our sportsmen and women to win has over the years, brought many
great triumphs which are not only satisfying to the athletes
involvcd but have been a cause of tremendous pride and a
sense of achievement for all Australians.
We all felt that during the Commonwealth Games when we
saw Raelene Boyle win the 400 metres, when Robert de Castella
wion the marathon and our swimmers won gold medal after gold
medal. The Brisbane Commonwealth Games were a watershed for
Australian athletes. Those Games marked the rebirth of
the Australian sporting tradition. I know every Australian
has high hopes that our successes in Brisbane can be
repeated at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
As always, money will be needed if our athletes are to do
that. The Australian Olympic Federation estimates that
S4. 5 million will be needed if we are to have a really
ef f-ctive team in Los Angeles. Already the Commonwealth Government
has committed( a total of $ 1.4 million to that target.
But the Olympic team is Australia's team, not the
Governmcnt'! S team. on its shoulders it will carry the
hopes and the pride of millions of Australians.
Very few of us will be able to participate directly in
the Olympic Games. But we can help the team in a very real
way by., con~ ftributing to its financial costs. By doing
that, Australians will be able to watch with pride when
members of our team win medals, knowing that they played
some part in the victory.
Australia is a great country with an unequalled sporting
tradition. All of us can help make sure that tradition lives on.