3 September 1987
ABC TEXTRA (Territory Extra)
8.00 am
Prime Minister Hawke has for the first time foreshadowed a treaty, or compact understanding with Aborigines, in the lead-up to Australia's BiCentennial year. Mr Hawke made the surprise announcement yesterday at the start of his two day visit to the Territory. Louise Maher spoke with him in Alice Springs, here’s her report
MAHER:
With the BiCentennial looming, and Aboriginal anger growing, calls for a treaty have become more intense. The Biwarraia confrontation and the decision to hold a Royal Commission into Aboriginal deaths in custody, have highlighted the problems of Aboriginal people and has focussed attention on ways to improve their social and economic conditions. The government, up until now, has refused to embrace the idea of a treaty. Some claim it would be nothing more than a piece of paper anyway. But yesterday, in Alice Springs, the Prime Minister announced that some form of treaty, a setting straight of the historical record, is forthcoming.
HAWKE:
I think what's important is that before 1988 starts, is that the Australian community as a whole should publicly and quite specifically acknowledge, as we go into 1988, that's going to be a celebration of 200 years of European settlement which comes on top of a long history of 40,000 years of Aboriginal history and culture and tradition, because I don't think we're properly going to have the celebrations that are appropriate in 1988 unless we understand, the non-Aboriginal community understands that, and if the non-Aboriginal community understands that fact, and the Aboriginal community sees that we understand it in that way then I think we have the basis of an appropriate 1988.
Now that means, I think, that before 1987 is finished, it would be good that there be some clear statement, acknowledgement that in those 200 years of European settlement, considerable injustices have been done to the Aboriginal people. To recognise that 20 years ago in 1967, the Australian people, by an overwhelming majority referendum, gave a power to the National Parliament, to legislate in the area of Aboriginal Affairs. During that 20 years I think we can say as a community that there has been an improvement, and I'm not saying its adequate or enough, but there has been an increased acknowledgement of the responsibility of the community as a whole to our fellow Aboriginal citizens, and certainly speaking for this government that in the period since ' 83 there's been an acceleration both in terms of funding and programmes. But that, what we must recognise, that whatever's been done, there has to be a further commitment to try and to ensure that the Aboriginal people are helped more, not merely in general terms of more funding, but in specific programmes that are directed to the areas of need-, which you can identify, in the areas of health, education, employment, training, and that's not exhaustive. Now if, in 1987, before 1987 is finished, that we can have a clear statement in those sorts of terms, then I think that that's the important thing we must to do. Whether that leads to a thing called a treaty, or we simply enshrine into the statute books of this country a statement of those things, I don't think matters so much. I don't think its the word that matters, its what is the attitude and commitment of the people, and I think that certainly has to be made clear.
MAHER:
Well what about educating white Australians who are unaware of Aboriginal culture, history and rights will the Government fund a public education campaign.
HAWKE:
I haven't thought of it in terms of a public education campaign, I go one step back to what I just said, and that is that I think, and I certainly hope, that before the end of this year, that I will have been able to take. the lead in making clear the sorts bf things live just answered, the obligation we as a community have as a whole, as we. go,-into 1988 to recognise the relationship between the 200-years of European settlement and what's gone before, the obligations that flow from that. Now if we do that, if we can get that sort of understanding more clearly in the minds of the total Australian community, then this educative process that you rightly allude to, I think, can happen in very many ways rather than just saying here's a specific funding for that purpose. I mean its a fundamental understanding that I think as Prime Minister and as head of Government I have a responsibility to initiate, and I will.
MAHER:
During his walk through the Todd Mall, the Prime Minister was greeted by demonstrators from the * Alice Springs Peace Group demanding the closure of Pine Gap. But Mr Hawke is adamant that U. S. bases must stay, at least until the world is a much safer place to live in.
HAWKE:
When we move into a world in which you've got that better, more moral basis for peace between nations, where you don't need and wiq not have the capacities for destruction, then of course the need for these facilities will disappear.
MAHER:
Bill Hayden has admitted that if there was some sort of nuclear conflict Pine Gap would be a target, yet Alice Springs has no Civil Defence Plan, now does the Government think that such a plan would be just a waste of time?
HAWKE:
Well what has happened is that there has been discussions, analysis about the implications for civil defence and there will be discuss jobs conducted between the Federal Government and the relevant areas Of State Government responsibility and Municipal responsibility as to what sorts of measures are necessary or desirable. That has not been ignored. But, going back to your basic point, no-one, Mr Hayden, myself, has ever ignored the obvious fact that if you take the most pessimistic scenario, and that we were not successful in preventing nuclear conflict, of~ course, in those circumstances the facilities could be a target.
MAHER:
I also asked Mr Hawke about an issue dear to many Territorians, Statehood. Mr Hawke, when do you think the Northern Territory will become a proper, grown-up State?
HAWKE:
Oh, well, that's a matter, firstly, for Northern Territorians themselves, and, their government, and for the rest of the people of Australia through the Federal government, and I'm certainly not one who is seeking to accelerate those processes
MAHER:
Why not?
HAWKE:
Well, in a funny sense, I looked at the interests of the citizens of the Northern Territory, let me put it this way if I were a citizen of the Northern Territory the last thing I'd be going for would be Statehood.
MAHER:
Is that because of the Government we have in the Territory at the moment?
HAWKE:
No, no, no, not at all. . Statehood may sound beautiful, and perhaps it is, but Statehood, by definition, carries a significant range of additional fiscal responsibilities. As it stands now the-Northern Territory receives a very significant subsidisation,..
MAHER:
Can the Federal Government ….
HAWKE
….Louise, just a minute, I mean, I wish you would let lie finish im answer. It receives a very significant degree of subsidisation" from the rest of Australia, and beyond the State average, and that's fair enough. I mean I'm not arguing about that. But there's a cake and eat it too syndrome. If you want full Statehood, then you have to accept full responsibilities, and as it stands now, and in the foreseeable future, that would impose a very considerable added fiscal burden upon the citizens of the Northern Territory. .If I, I repeat, if I were a citizen of the Northern Territory I wouldn’t be pushing for Statehood.
MAHER:
So the Federal Government will guarantee to continue subsidising the Territory for some time yet at the levels it is now?
HAWKE:
It doesn't follow that it'll be at exactly the levels, indeed, you have the position where the nature of the level of grants and the distribution of grants between the Territories and the States is a mat ter which involves the independent instrumentality of the Commonwealth Grants Commission, so what we do is determined in light of recommendations by the Commonwealth Grants Commission and our own decisions and the representation of the Territory. What I do assert is that while the framework of shared responsibilities between the Commonwealth and the Northern Territory policy as it exists now, while that continues, we'll accept our responsibility, we'll accept our responsibility.
MAHER:
Mr Hawke, two, finally, two very quick questions is the Government prepared to change its policy on the number of uranium mines in the Territory?
HAWKE:
No, no intention of changing that.
MAHER:
And finally, any tips for the Barkly By-Election?
HAWKE:
Oh Labor should win, I hope it does, but I've only been here an hour and a half or so, I haven't had a chance to get the good oil, but, I think people of the Northern Territory have shown, in their most recent visit to the polls, that they see Labor as the best answer, and I don't want to get involved here in this sort of good will visit as it Were, in attacking' anyone in particular. All I can say is that the Labor Party is, I believe, best equipped to serve the interests of the people of the Territory generally, and including in the area in which they' re having a By-Election.
MAHER:
Despite the fact that Mr Tuxworth is seen in the Territory as probably a better opposition sometimes than the Labor Opposition?
HAWKE:
Well, I moan, I look at Mr Tuxworth's record and I don't think, being objective about it, you're going to write that record up in letters of gold are you.
MAHER:
Mr Hawke thank you very much for your time.
HAWKE:
Thanks Louise, thank you.
ABC - The Prime Minister on Territory Extra and that report prepared by Louise Maher.