CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY
PRIME MINISTER
FOR MEDIA_ 5 APRIL 1979
AUSTRALIAN 1988 BICENTENARY
1988 will be the Bicentenary of the first European settlement
in Australia.. In June 1978, the Premiers' Conference agreed
that there should be a major commemoration of Australia's
Bicentenary. Following this decision, there has been
consultation between the Commonwealth, States and the
Northern Territory to devise and agree on a framework
of administrative arrangements by which an Australian
Bicentennial Authority can be-established.
The Authority will be responsible for the planning and staging
of this historic commemoration. As befits a national endeavour
of this kind, the commitment to it will be completely
bi-partisan. The Authority, therefore, will be a joint
organisation of seventeen members: seven appointed by the
Commonwealth; seven appointed by the States and the
Northern Territory; two members drawn respectively from the
Government and the Opposition in Federal Parliament; and
with a Chairman appointed by the Commonwealth.
I am pleased to be able to inform the House that Mr. John Reid
has agreed to serve as the Chairman. His work and reputation
will be known to many Members. He is a businessman
and administrator of outstanding calibre. I am in no doubt
that under his experienced and forceful guidance, the Authority
will be established on-a sound, businesslike footing, and
that he will handle the task he has been given with
distinction. The Authority will be established administratively, as
a company incorporated in the A. C. T. There will be companion
legislation of a general kind to identify the status and role
of the Authority and guarantee its autonomy and continuity.
Such an arrangement will confer an appropriate degree of
independence and flexibility so that the Authority can cope
with changing requirements during the next decade.
The structure envisaged will enable the Authority to operate
expeditiously in a business-like way, and will facilitate
such operations as licensing, franchising and normal
commercial agreements. / 12
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At the same time, the Authority will be accountable to
the Parliament through the Minister for Administrative
Services who will consult, as necessary, with the
appropriate Minister in each of the States and in
the Northern Territory.
The Authority's accounts will be subject to audit by
the Auditor-General. Any appropriation by the Parliament
for the purposes of the Authority will be subject to
the normal Parliamentary scrutiny. The Authority will also
be required to submit an Annual Report to the Parliament.
The Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Authority
and, as appropriate, the companion legislation, will give
effect to the Government's wishes in this regard.
The Authority will have both advising and operational roles.
In its advising role it will be required at an early date
to make recommendations in relation to a " theme" and a
" focus" for the celebrations and on the matter of
international participation. Generally, it will be empowered
to do all things necessary for the successful prosecution of
the role given to it by the Governments and the objectives
specifified in its charter.
The charter will be expressed in an appropriately drawn
Memorandum and Articles of Association designed to provide the
desired wide ambit of activity and authority within the
administrative framework I have indicated, subject, of
course, to the decisions of Governments in relation to policy.
The Bicentenary will be a most important event for Australia.
Deep in any human community is consciousness of its origins and
identity and its hopes and resolutions for the future, a
consciousness to which it will want to return and dwell upon
at particular moments in its history. The marking of a
Bicentenary is one such time.
It will be a time for calling to mind the achievements
throughout this country and by its people over two centuries.
It will be a time to reflect upon our developing and changing
national entity as a united community transformed in a
remarkable way by the migration programmes of the years
since World War II. It will be a time for weighing the
opportunities and the challenges that lie ahead and for
considering our place in the world community.
It will, as I have said, be a matter for the Authority to
propose for the consideration of Governments a theme and a
focus for the celebrations and in doing this, it will need
to draw upon the ideas of highly imaginative and creative
people within our community. It will be for the Authority
to recommend that concrete programmes by which the commemoration
will find expression. o. .3
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In the drawing of these programmes, and for their
discharge the Authority will, as far as practicable,
be seeking to devolve responsibility and initiative to
State, Municipal and Local Governments. As well, the
Authority will be seeking to involve all sections and
members of the community individually and collectively.
It will look to encourage initiatives at the grass roots.
Within these programmes there will no doubt be a strong
emphasis on history. This must under-pin any such
commemoration. We are now embarking on an exciting and
challenging project for the nation and I commend it
to Honourable Members for their support.
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