PM Transcripts

3
PRIME MINISTER
TRANSCRIPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER, THE HON P. J. KEATING MP
START OF THE WESTFIELD FRED HOLLOWS 500 INTERNATIONAL
RELAY RACE, BOURKE, WEDNESDAY, 5 APRIL 1995
E& OE PROOF COPY
I am delighted to be in Bourke, it is one of the few places in the far west of
New South Wales I always wanted to see, but somehow never got around to
it. I have today and what a lovely day it is too.
Could I say what a double pleasure it is being here associated with the spirit
of Fred Hollows. We look at the town of Bourke which has been riven by the
drought, where it has had to try to fight its way back. With all of its troubles it
has still got a big enough heart to do something like this, sponsor this race,
and to remember again Fred Hollows.
It is a great pleasure to be here with Gabi because, I think, the Hollows
Foundation typifies the thing that Fred was really great at and that is getting
on with it. He was unconventional and practical, but he got the job done and,
of course, we have another great challenge in Australia and that is, of course,
with Aboriginal health and a lot of the spirit of what Fred was about we want
to employ in dealing with that problem. That is direct attention to the problem
at hand. So, I think, that is a celebration of what Fred was able to do and
what now Gabi and Mike Lynskey and the Foundation have been able to
follow up. That is why we are here to support the run and to also remember
that international fraternalism that Fred sponsored in Nepal, in Vietnam and
in Eritrea and, of course, we have some runners here from Nepal and Eritrea
and Vietnam on this occasion today all three countries represented.
So, it is a great chance to renew that international fraternity, I think, that Fred
sponsored and to come to the place where Fred wanted his ashes scattered.
I know Bourke takes that responsibility, as the Mayor said, very seriously and
it is a great pleasure for me to be here, to be part of that fraternal spirit, part
of the spirit of Bourke and part of the spirit of Fred Hollows. I would like to
thank the Mayor, Wally Mitchell, and Frank Lowy from Westfield for
sponsoring this and it is a great pleasure for me to be associated, again, with
Fred Hollows and Gabi Hollows who has followed Fred's vision and work with
great fidelity.
Thank you very much indeed.