CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY EMBARGOED UNTIL DELIVERY
SPEECH BY THE PRIME MINISTER
AUSTRALIAN BICENTENNIAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CENTRE
FRIDAY 30 MAY 1986
MINISTERIAL COLLEAGUES, EXCELLENCIES, DISTINGUISHED GUESTS,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
THIS CEREMONY TODAY MARKS AN IMPORTANT STEP IN THE
GOVERNMENT'S PREPARATIONS FOR THE BICENTENARY AND REAFFIRMS
THE STRENGTH AND CLOSENESS OF THE RELATIONS BETWEEN
AUSTRALIA AND JAPAN.
THE AUSTRALIAN BICENTENARY IN 1988 WILL MARK THE 200TH
ANNIVERSARY OF EUROPEAN SETTLEMENT IN AUSTRALIA. . IN
CONSIDERING WAYS TO COM'MEMORATE THIS EVENT THE AUSTRALIAN
BICENTENNIAL AUTHORITY HAS SOUGHT PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS THAT
WOULD CONSTITUTE A LEGACY OF LASTING VALUE.
WITH TKAT IN MIND THE AUTHORITY ESTABLISHED A TASK FORCE TO
INVESTI~ GATE A PROPOSAL THAT A NATIONAL SCIENCE CENTRE BE
ESTABLISH-ED TO ENCOURAGE, THROUGH PARTICIPATION, LEARNING
ABOUT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY.
SUBSEQUENTLY, TO GIVE EFFECT TO THIS PROPOSAL THE AUSTRALIAN
BICENTENNIAL AUTHORITY HAS DECIDED TO CONTRIBUTE $ 5.14M FOR
THE CONSTRUCTION OF AN AUSTRALIAN BICENTENNIAL SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY CENTRE.
THIS CENTRE WILL BE A SIGNIFICANT AND LASTING REMINDER OF
THE BICENTENARY.
THE LOCATION OF THE CENTRE ON THIS PRESTIGIOUS SITE IN THE
PARLIAMENTARY TRIANGLE BETWEEN THE NATIONAL LIBRARY AND THE
HIGH COURT AND CLOSE BY THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL GALLERY
SYMBOLISES THE GOVERNMENT'S WISH THAT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
LIKE THE ARTS, LETTERS AND THE LAW BE RECOGNISED AS
CONTRIBUTING TO THE ENRICHMENT OF OUR CULTURE, AND,
PARTICULARLY IMPORTANTLY, TO OUR NATION'S DEVELOPMENT.
THIS PROJECT'S RELEVANCE IS NOT HOWEVER, CONFINED TO ONE
SITE IN THE NATIONAL CAPITAL. THE CENTRE WILL HAVE A MOBILE
COMPONENT THAT WILL TRAVEL ALL OVER AUSTRALIA. PLANNING IS
WELL ADVANCED AND, DURING THE PAST TWELVE MONTHS, AN
EXPERIMENTAL VERSION HAS VISITED SEVERAL CENTRES IN THE
EASTERN STATES. PUBLIC REACTION DEMONSTRATED CLEARLY THE
BENEFITS OF SUCH AN APPROACH.
THE SCIENCE CENTRE PROPOSAL WAS PROMPTED BY EXPERIENCE
GAINED FROM THE SUCCESSFUL " HANDS-ONN SCIENCE CENTRES IN
NORTH AMERICA AND CLOSER TO HOME AT THE QUESTACON SCIENCE
CENTRE, ESTABLISHED BY THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
HERE IN CANBERRA UNDER THE DIRECTION OF DR MICHAEL GORE.
THE QUESTACON SPECIALIZES IN INTERACTIVE " HANDS-ON" EXHIBITS
DESIGNED TO BE USED BY ITS VISITORS. THROUGH THE QUESTACON
STUDENTS FROM ALL OVER THIS COUNTRY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO
ENHANCE THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF SOME OF THE
MORE COMPLEX SCIENTIFIC CONCEPTS INVOLVED IN PRESENT DAY
TECHNOLOGY. THE QUESTACON AND ITS TRAVELLING COMPONENT HAVE BEEN
ASSISTED BY MAJOR COMPANIES, LIKE SHELL AUSTRALIA,
COMMONWEALTH INDUSTRIAL GASES, KODAK, ESSO AND FORD. SOME
GAVE FINANCIAL HELP WHILE OTHERS DONATED HANDS-ON EXHIBITS.
WE LOOK FORWARD NOW TO A CONTINUING ASSOCIATION BETWEEN THE
AUSTRALIAN PRIVATE SECTOR AND THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
CENTRE. AUSTRALIA'S DEVELOPMENT DEPENDS MORE THAN EVER BEFORE ON
SCIENTIFIC PROGRESS. RAPID ADVANCES HAVE BEEN MADE IN THIS
COUNTRY IN A WIDE RANGE OF SCIENCE-BASED FIELDS INCLUDING
TELECOMMUNICATIONS, COMPUTERS, BIOTECHNOLOGY AND MEDICAL
SCIENCE, AND IN TECHNIQUES FOR MINERAL AND AGRICULTURALDEVELOPMENT.
IF WE ARE TO MAINTAIN OUR PLACE IN THE
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMY IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE ENCOURAGE
FURTHER SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT.
THE USE OF NEW TECHNOLOGY WILL STIMULATE INDUSTRIAL AND
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND UNDERPIN IMPROVED COMPETITIVENESS
AND PRODUCTIVITY IN INDUSTRY. IT WILL ASSIST IN MAINTAINING
THE LIVING STANDARDS OF ALL AUSTRALIANS.
THERE IS NO MORE IMPORTANT A STARTING POINT FOR THIS PROCESS
THAN THE STIMULATION OF CURIOSITY AND INQUIRY ON THE PART OF
YOUNG PEOPLE. THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THIS CENTRE WILL HELP TO
ENCOURAGE YOUNG AUSTRALIANS TO COME TO TERMS WITH SCIENCE
AND TECHNOLOGY IN WAYS M4ATCHING THEIR INTERESTS. IT WILL
INSPIRE SOME TO PURSUE CAREERS IN THESE FIELDS AND THUS
CONTRIBUTE TO THE PROSPERITY AND WELL BEING OF OUR GREAT
COUNTRY. I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT, FOR THE YOUTH OF AUSTRALIA, THIS
CENTRE WILL STAND OUT AS ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING
ACHIEVEMENTS OF 1988.
TWO WEEKS AGO WHEN I WAS IN JAPAN I WAS DELIGHTED TO LEARN
THAT JAPAN WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
CENTRE AS ONE OF THE MAJOR ELEMENTS OF ITS PARTICIPATION IN
OUR BICENTENNIAL CELEBRATIONS. A FUND HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED
TO ENABLE THE JAPANESE PRIVATE SECTOR TO CONTRIBUTE
SUBSTANTIALLY TO THIS PROJECT. I
3.
I MET MEMBERS OF THE JAPAN-AUSTRALIA BICENTENARY
COMMEMORATION COUNCIL WHILE I WAS IN TOKYO AND CONVEYED TO
THEM AUSTRALIA'S APPRECIATION OF THEIR EFFORTS IN DECIDING
TO ESTABLISH THE FUND. IN MY DISCUSSIONS WITH PRIME
MINISTER NAKASONE I EXPRESSED MY APPRECIATION, AND THAT OF
THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE, FOR JAPAN'S POSITIVE
APPROACH TOWARDS OUR BICENTENARY.
FOR THESE REASONS IN PARTICULAR, AMBASSADOR NAKAJIMA, WE ARE
PLEASED THAT YOU ARE ABLE TO BE PRESENT AT THIS CEREMONY
TODAY. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
IT GIVES ME MUCH~ PLEASURE TO INAUGURATE THE CONSTRUCTION OF
THE AUSTRALIAN BICENTENNIAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CENTRE.