PM Transcripts

PRIME MINISTER t49
STATEXENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER, THE RON P J KEATING, NP
NATIONAL ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER DAY
Today is one of our key national days.
National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander day is the
day on which we celebrate the rich and ancient indigenous
history -and culture of our country. It is the day on which
we contemplate the achievements of the people who lived in
this country and cared for it for 50,000 years or more, and
whose descendants suffered dispossession, prejudice and
brutality after European settlement and yet survived, and
today continue to make a great contribution to our national
life.
This year the Day has extra significance, not only because
it is the International Year of the World's Indigenous
People, but because it is a year in which Australia is
confronting as never before its obligations to Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander people.
The legacy of injustice towards the indigenous people of
Australia is in many ways a shameful one. But feelings of
shame or guilt or outrage are not necessary to feel that
things must change. Pride in Australia is all that we
require.
Our international reputation, our self-esteem, our integrity
require that we find answers to the prejudice and injustice
and other problems which indigenous Australians continue to
confront. The High Court's decision on Native Title. gives, us a vital
stepping stone towards finding-these answers.
Today we should reaffirm our intention to build on that
foundation: to put aside prejudice and fear and guilt and,
taking pride in the heritage of indigenous Australians,
commit ourselves to making reconciliation betw ' een indigenous
and non-indigenous Australians one of the strengths of our
society, one of the measures of our democracy, one of the
hallmarks of our belief in Australia.
CANBERRA 9 July 1993
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