PRIME MINISTER
SPEAKING NOTES FOR USE BY THE PRIME MINISTER
AT THE 1984 WALKLEY AWARDS
8 NOVEM4BER 1984
I am very pleased to have been asked to join you tonight
on the occasion of the 1984 W. G. Walkley National Awards
for Australian Journalism.
I particularly welcome this opportunity to acknowledge the
best work of our journalists in the past year. I am
tempted indeed to suggest an award for outstanding
achievements on the cricket field. But then some would
say I might be one-eyed on that matter.
What I do see more clearly is that your profession counts
among its ranks some of the best and most dedicated
Australians at work today. I say this not because I
believe I have received even-handed, fair and generous
treatment at your hands this has certainly not always
been the case. Rather I do so because I strongly believe
Australia is on the whole well served by its journalists.
Australians should all fully appreciate the contribution
made by many of our journalists to the maintenance of a
vigorous, thriving Australian democracy. Without a
constructively critical, probing media Australia would be
a less productive, less-dynamic and I believe less healthy
society.
The role of the practising journalist has evolved
incredibly over the course of the last 30 years. When Si~ r
William Walkley instituted these awards in 1956 television
had just been introduced to Australia and the print media
were the dominant outlet.
Even only 12 years ago we are reminded in Laurie Qakes'
and David Solomon's book " The Making of an Australian
Prime Minister" Joe Chamberlain had to be persuaded to
cancel a public meeting in favour of a Whitlam television
appearance. Today the crucial role of the electronic
media in campaigning is recognised by everyone.
Some regret this and particularly its associated emphasis
on image, personality and the short grab. Others, I think
quite rightly, appreciate that it is only through the
electronic media that many in our community are regularly
involved with the political process.
2.
This is not to underestimate the vital role! Of the print
media. Their careful analysis of issues is critical to an
adequate, well-informed community understanding of
government policies and programs. Their role in drawing
attention to emerging community concerns and
preoccupations is also indispensable to the! Government's.
ability adequately to cater for the needs of society.
Through the media the people get access to their political
leaders. Talk-back radio presents unparallelled
opportunities for anyone and everyone to put a view.
Talk-back is sometimes an arduous experience, certainly
more than question-time in Parliament has been recently,
but as a vehicle through which community leaders can
better understand the nation's issues and concerns, it is
invaluable. Obviously it is also a great help to any
politician wanting to get his point across.
One thing that journalists and politicians share is
pressure. We political leaders are legitimately subject
to constant probing scrutiny by the media. You the
journalists must also satisfy the people's requirement for
quick, reliable and thorough presentation of the facts and
for the stories that lie behind the facts. I am reminded
of Lord Curzon's observation;
" I hesitate to say what the functions of the
modern journalist may be; but I imagine that
they do not exclude the intelligent anticipation
of facts even before they occur."
Whatever the pressure, however, the demands of the moment,
the attractions of the sensational scoop should not be
allowed to obscure the heavy responsibilities of the
media. Sometimes a sense of social responsibility and
very occasionally a wider sense of the national interestwill
require that journalists forego a " good story".
Ideally I would like to think such judgements would be
made by the media themselves.
There is a very special relationship between Governments
and the media. Governments need to have community
understanding and involvement in their programs. In large
measure we depend on the media for success in this
endeavour. The media in turn need reasonable access to
information if they are properly and accurately to present
and interpret matters of interest to the country. It is
. recognition of this necessarily close, almost symbiotic
relationship between government and media between
government and the country at large that has motivated
this Government's commitment to open government.
I believe the present Labor Government has set new
standards of openness.. It has done so in a highly
responsible way thus contributing greatly to the
unprecedented confidence that now marks relations between
the Government and the country at large.
3.
Our media need to be of the highest standard.
Appropriately the Walkleys give recognition to the
outstanding achievements within the media in any one year.
All the winners of this year's Walkleys have shown the
special skill which is the hallmark of the outstanding
journalist.
To all the winners of these awards and to those whose work
has been highly commended, my heartiest congratulations.