PRIME MINISTERL4S
TRANSCRIPT OF PRESS CONFERENCE, ALICE SPRINGS AIRPORT,
WEDNESDAY 2 SEPTEMBER 1987
E 0 E PROOF ONLY
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, we missed the earlier comments you
made about the compact or treaty. What exactly are you
aiming for?
PM; I think the word is not Important, the concept Is
though. I want to see a situation where before the end
of this year, before we go into 1988, that there be a
sense of understanding in the Australian community as
a whole that next year we are celebrating 200 years of
European settlement in this country. And that Is 200
coming on top of a history of 40,000 of aboriginal culture
and experience. And I would want to see an understanding
in the Australian community that we have an obligation
to the Aborigines of Australia that in that 200 years
of European settlement there have been many grave injustices
done; that since 1967 when the Australian people passed
the referendum giving power to the national parliament
that much more has been done to recognise these injustices,
to direct attention to specific areas of problems like
education, health, employment, training, And indeed I
would say in the last 43 years of acceleration of commitment
and action, I think that we, as a people, ought to make
a compact between one another. I use that word ' compact'
I am not wedded to it. There should be a compact of
understanding as we go Into 1988 of Just what that 200
represents. It is, as I say, coming on top of 40,000
years of aboriginal history, that we do have a continuing
commitment, that we will continue and I hope in a greater
way to address the issues of concern. And if we can have
that compact of understanding then I think we as non-
Aboriginals, non-Aboriginal people, are going to be better
placed properly to celebrate 1988. And importantly that
there can be a greater sense of community between the
Aborigines and the non-Aboriginal people so that' 1988
can be clearly celebrated, properly understood. by all
the citizens of Australia.
JOURNALIST: Is it something that you would place before
the Parliament for a debate, for a vote, and that it would
have any force in law?
PM: One suggestion that has arisen in the discussions
I have been having quietly with a number of people is
that perhaps the concept that I have could be included
by way of pre-amble, a substantial pre-amble to the legislation
that we would bring in to establish the commission. That
is one possibility. But again I make the point that I
don't think it is so important as to whether you call
it a treaty the treaty doesn't appeal to me so much
but it is not the word that matters or where but
that the people as a whole accept the point of what is
involved. It is terribly important, I think, not just
for the Aborigines but it is just as important for the
non-Aboriginal population, that we understand these things
before we go Into 1988 so that we can have a sense of
together and proper perspective. We wouldn't be celebrating
1988 properly if we thought that there wasn't 40,000 years
of history before we came here.
JOURNALIST: Do you think it-would have a greater impact
though PM: When you say enforceable, you can't enforce attitudes
by law. What I am about is trying to get a sense of understanding
of commitment if you like, between the non-Aboriginal
and the Aboriginal population. You can't enforce commitments
or attitudes by law but it may, in fact, be useful to
include these sort of concepts, as I say, in a pr-emble
to the legislation. That may give it a greater sense
of status but I repeat that I don't think you should
get hung up on the words or the method, of commitment.
JOURNALIST: inaudible question..
PM: The rights of Aborigines should be enshrined in the
laws of this country with our deliberately and
we do that in many ways already. In the areas of specific
programs for housing, employment and so on. And r am
not in saying that implying that we have done enough but
the concept of having an overall treaty, I don't know
that that is necessarily the right way or the necessary
way to do it. As I say, to get the right attitude, it
is the understanding of where we are In history, what
our 200 years as Europeans. what that bit of history is
about, what its right place is. And if we can get that
sense of understanding then I think it is much more likely
that in the whole range of our activities we will, as
a total community, have a better attitude towards one
another. JOURNALIST; SlutsziLtiua planning hais been going; on for
two years now, you are opening yourself up aren't you
to the cynical observation by simply talking about this
now, that the whole thing is designed to mute aboriginal
protests in the bicentennial year.
PM: No, I don't think so Kerry-There are always going
to be cynics around. All I can say is that from the time
I have been Prime Minister I have said to the previous
PM cont: leaders of the Australian Bicentennial Authority
and I have said it to Jim Kirk, that it is absolutely
essential that we talk about the Bicentenary we talk about
the 200 years of European settlement that there is nothing
in language or in action which implies that the only thing
of importance is the last 200 years. And I have always
had the attitudeland I have conveyed it to those who have
the responsibility for organisina 1988, that there must
be an understanding of that fact. Simply now, as we get
closer to the year, I want to accept what I see as the
obligation Prime MInister to clearly get Into the
minds of the Australian people these facts because they
are facts. It is not a question of saying you can wipe
QNQ years of history away and say that people who have
beer or 200 years haven't got very significant obligations
to those who have been here before. I think that I have
the responsibility as we come up towards the Bicentenary
to lead in this matter and hopefully to get that sense
of understanding in the Australian community generally.
And let me say this that it is not as though there is
a desert of understanding out there. I think there is
a very considerable understanding and I want to sharpen
it. We shouldn't forget that it was 20 years ago that
the Australian people, in that decision in the referendum,
quite a remarkable decision in the history of referendums
because they normally don't pass referendums. But by
an overwhelming majority they made the decision that they
wanted the national gover-nment to have responsibility
in theae matters. It is appropriate that as w& come to
this important year 1988 that we remember those obligations.
JOIJRNAI1TST: Just finally, and very briefly Mr Hawke,
do you have any comment on the death of Alan Reid?
PM: Yes, and thank you for asking that question. By
any standards Alan Reid was giant in his profession.
I had the opportunity and indeed the privilege of not
only knowing Alan Reid but being able to count him as
a friend over very many years. As a political journalist,
Alan's work was marked by many characteristics. They
included, firstly, his total integrity, his dedication,
his range of contacts, his capacity for analysis. As
I have said before, there is no other journalist, as fara
as I know, who in fact has changed the structure of a
major political party. It was Alan Reid's work in regard
to the " faceless men" that 19Li my Party, the Australian
Labor Party, substantially to change its constitutional
structure and to bring the parliamentary
representatives into its federal executive and conference.
That was, as I say, an indication of the magnitude of
his work. He was also, if I may say this, personally
an. exceptionally good friend to me. He was prepared
to share with me his incomparable knowledge of the federal
parliament and the players of politics. And I certainly
learnt very much from Alan. And I talke this opportunity
of conveying to his wife, Joan, and to his family, on
behalf of Haz3l and myself firstly, and on behalf of the
Government and I think the people of Australia, our grief
with them at his passing and our acknowledgement to them
? A t iyslaa ble role that he played in political journalism
ENDS