I,. EMBARGO: 10.00 a. m.
PRIME MINISTER
FOR PRESS 3 APRIL 1978
ADDRESS AT NATIONAL ABORIGINAL. CONFERENCE
The establishment of the Council for Aboriginal Development and
now this inaugural meeting of the National Aboriginal
Conference effectively sets the seal on a real turning point
in the development and administration of. Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander affairs in Australia.
Let this be the year when, whatever else we may be able to do,
Australia finally achieves real equality of man with man, equality
of opportunity, black with white, equality of all Australians before
the law.
The past history of the Aboriginal people since the white settlement
in Australia has been marked by neglect, deprivation, grinding
poverty and persecution. While not wishing to dwell on past
events neither should we forget them. These events occurred
because of the unthinking treatment of Aboriginals as at best
second class citizens disqualified from equal treatment with
other Australians because their colour was not white, because
their culture was not European. Some people even tried to
rationalise these abhorrent practices with half-baked
arguments that Aboriginals were somehow inferior, that it was
justifiable to treat Aboriginals with complete disregard for their
human rights and liberties.
In their ignorance and prejudice they ignored the rich and complex
culture built up by Aboriginals over thousands of years. This
attitude of wanton discrimination was not simply misconceived
and pernicious, it physically degraded those who suffered at its
hands. Even more, it morally degraded those who practiced it.
The denial of fundamental human rights to any group in a society
diminishes that society. We must all be resolved that such
discrimination and bigotry will never happen again. All Australians
are entitled to be treated equally under the law whatever their
colour, whatever their race. All are entitled to equal respect
and equal protection. The Government is resolved to put to an
end the hurt, indifference and intolerance which almost
destroyed the Australian Aboriginals and their culture.. ./ 2
We are committed to ending the offensive paternalism of past
policies, and we will oppose to the utmost the remnants of bigotry
and intolerance towards Aboriginals still existing in our
society. We will continue to pursue programmes which encourage
Aboriginals to control their own affairs. Our basic commitment
is that all Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders be as free
as other Australians to determine their own varied futures.
For it is this basic right which is essential for the building up
of their sense of pride and self-esteem. Aboriginals have the
fundamental right to choose whether to retain their distinctive
traditional identity and culture, or, if they wish, to adopt
partially or wholly a European lifestyle.
The key feature of the Government's policy regarding Aboriginal
advancement is summed up in the term " self-management".
It was never good enough for politicans or bureaucrats whether
at the State or Federal level to impose on the Aboriginal people
their conception of what was good for the Aboriginal people.
Aboriginals have the same right as every Australian citizen
to determine what is best for them. That is why the work of this
Conference is so important. I look to this Conference to be
a forum for open expression, both in bringing forward new and
creative ideas, and in evaluating existing programmes.
You have the opportunity to articulate the needs of those
whose voices may not otherwise be heard.
One of the greatest challenges which will face you as members
of this Conference will be to help us in devising effective social
programmes which can bring an end to the cycle of poverty, sickness
and loss of dignity still to be found in many Aboriginal
communities. We have adopted a community-based approach to
funding to ensure that the needs of communities are met in a
coordinated way. The underlying theme of current spending in all
Departments on Aboriginal projects some $ 176 million this year
is the directing of resources into areas of greatest need in
order to make the best use of available funds.
To enable this to be done, the Government has established a
programme to obtain accurate profiles of all Aboriginal communities
so that their needs can be assessed and priorities properly
determined. We wish to see Aboriginals exercising an
increasing influence at national, regional and community levels
in the determination of these priorities. Participation by
yourselves in area and community programming conferences will
help us to achieve this goal.
Of course, money alone is not the solution to problems of dispossession
and dispersal, persecution and discrimination, all of which have
contributed to a substantial denial for Aborigin~ ils of the right
and mteans to live their lives according to their own values.
one measure which will make, I believe, a significant contribution
to restoring pride and justice to Aboriginals is the Northern
Territory Land Rights legislation. This Act, which closely
follows the recommendations of Mr Justice Woodward's Land Rights
Commission) recognises the fact that the cultural identity and
lifestyle of Aboriginal communities is inextricably bound
up with their land. The Government will, in the next few weeks,
be taking further legislative action to ensure that title to
Aboriginal reserves in the Northern Territory will pass to
Aboriginal land trusts in the very near future.
On the matter of Aboriginal communities on Mornington Island and
at Aurukun, I should say that the Minister for Aboriginal
Affairs, Ian Viner, will be reporting to Cabinet later
today on his recent visit there. I can assure you the Government
has taken very seriously the recent developments at Auri~ kun
and Mornington Island, and we will be giving the highest priority
at Cabinet today to consideration of the Minister's report.
The Commonwealth has a Constitutional obligation to Aboriginals.
These communities have turned to us. We will not fail them.
We are taking other steps too, which will help translate
self-management into reality. We are developing plans for
a National Training Programme so that Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander communities can develop the necessary skills to manage
effectively their community's affairs. We are examining the need
to increase the number of Aborigd~ nal heath workers as a means
of providing Aboriginal communities with more effective health
care services. we are proceeding with a programme of community
based health services. We are employing Aboriginal administrators
for the most successful trachoma eradication programme under which
so far more than 60,000 persons have been examined a programme
which, I am glad to say, is to resume shortly in Queensland.
More funds are being allocated in helping Aboriginals in the
prevention and control of alcohol abuse. The National
Employment Strategy for Aboriginals announced last year is
assisting Aboriginals in remote areas to find work. The
National Aboriginal Education Committee which we have established
is providing a range of expertise in this area of education and
a special understanding of Aboriginal needs and problems
in education.
In all these areas there is one unavoidable fact that must be
faced. Because of generations of neglect and discrimination
against Aboriginals in education, health, employment and housing,
it will take a long term effort to overcome all the present
disadvantaged. It will require persistence and determination
for all Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal who are genuinely
concerned about Aboriginal welfare to see that present hopes and
initiatives are transformed into reality.
Thfis Conference has the opportunity and indeed the responsibilityto
provide to Government a significant input in the planning and
implementation of policies and programmes which affect Aboriginals
and Torres Strait Islanders. I believe this can be done in a
spirit of goodwill and cooperation on all sides.
4.
Throughout all our work together we must never forget that any
policy based on the superiority of one race over another is
a policy doomed to failure. Just as the Government's
policies towards Southern Africa are founded on this fundamental
principle so in Australia we must achieve nothing less than
real equality of all Australians equality of rights, equality
of opportunities, equality of protection under the law.
Madame Chairman, I have much pleasure in formally declaring the
first annual meeting of the National Aboriginal Conference open, and
Iwish you well in the deliberations you have ahead during the
next few days.