EMBARGOED UNTIL DELIVERY CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY
SPEECH BY THE PRIME MINISTER
TO WELCOME HER MAJESTY, THE QUEEN OF AUSTRALIA
PARLIAMENT HOUJSE, 3 MARCH 1986
YOUR MAJESTY; YOUR ROYAL HIGHNESS,
IT IS MY GREAT PLEASURE TO GREET YOU ON BEHALF OF THE
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE.
YOUR MAJESTY, YOUR VISITS HERE GIVE THE PEOPLE OF AUSTRALIA
AN OPPORTUNITY TO DEMONSTRATE THE AFFECTION WITH WHICH YOU,
AND YOUR FAMILY ARE REGARDED IN THIS COUNTRY. THIS VISIT IS
CLEARLY NO EXCEPTION.
I AM DELIGHTED THAT DURING YOUR VISIT YOU WILL BE ATTENDING
THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA. WE
WERE DELIGHTED THAT THE PRINCE JAYD -PRINC13SS OF WALES
WERE ABLE TO ATTEND VICTORIA'S CELEBRATIONS LAST YEAR.
IN TWO YEARS TIME AUSTRALIA WILL CELEBRATE OUR NATIONAL
BICENTENARY. AS WE APPROACH 1988, WE CAN REFLECT WITH PRIDE
ON AUSTRALIA'S EMERGENCE AS A MATURE, STABLE, TOLERANT
SOCIETY, VIGOROUSLY DIVERSE IN ITS POPULATION, WITH SOLID
ACHIEVEMENTS IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, CULTURAL AND
INTELLECTUAL LIFE AND SPORTING ENDEAVOURS.
IT WAS PARTICULARLY APPROPRIATE, YOUR MAJESTY, THAT YOU WERE
ABLE, YESTERDAY, TO PROCLAIM THE AUSTRALIA ACT. THE
PROCLAMATION OF THE ACT COMPLETES A CENTURY OF
CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT WHICH HAS ENDED FOR ALL TIME ANY
RESIDUAL SENSE OF AUSTRALIA NOT BEING IN FULL CONTROL OF ITS
OWN DESTINY.
THE DIVERSITY OF AUSTRALIA WILL BE ONE OF THE SOURCES OF
CELEBRATION IN 1988 AND THE THEME OF THE BICENTENNIAL YEAR
LIVING TOGETHER ALSO REFLECTS THE HIGHLY VARIED NATURE OF
AUSTRALIAN SOCIETY AND THE DIFFERENT CONTRIBUTION MADE TO
IT: BY THE ABORIGINALS, WITH THEIR UNIQUE CULTURE AND THEIR
FEELING FOR THIS RUGGED CONTINENT;
BY THE SETTLERS FROM BRITAIN AND IRELAND WHO BROUGHT TO
US THE VALUES OF A LIBERAL SOCIETY, AND
BY THOSE IMMIGRANTS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD WHOM THIS
COUNTRY HAS WELCOMED, AND WHO TOGETHER WITH THEIR
DESCENDANTS HAVE GIVEN AUSTRALIA ITS VIBRANT
OUTWARD-LOOKING CHARACTER.
WE ARE PARTICULARLY PROUD THAT OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS
AUSTRALIA HAS RESETTLED AROUND A HUNDRED THOUSAND REFUGEES
FROM ASIA.
TODAY IN AUSTRALIA THERE' IS A NEW SPIRIT OF COOPERATION, TO
MEET AND TO FACE THE CHALLENGES BEFORE US. GOVERNMENT,
BUSINESS AND THE TRADE UNIONS ARE JOINTLY ENDEAVOURING TO
ESTABLISH A FIRM BASIS FOR OUR FUTURE ECONOMIC GROWTH. WE
ARE ALSO WORKING TOGETHER WITH OTHER COUNTRIES IN THE
ASIA-PACIFIC REGION TOWARDS A SECURE AND PEACEFUL FUTURE, A
FUTURE IN WHICH OUR REGION WILL REALISE ITS DYNAMIC ECONOMIC
POTENTIAL.
OUR BICENTENARY WILL BE AN IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO
REFLECT ON THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE PAST AND TO LOOK FORWARD
WITH RENEWED VIGOUR AND CONFIDENCE TO THE FUTURE. AND THE
FUTURE BELONGS TO THE YOUTH OF THIS COUNTRY. COLLECTIVELY,
THEY ARE OUR GREATEST ASSET. THE GOVERNMENT IS GIVING A
HIGH PRIORITY TO THE NEEDS, THE CONCERNS AND THE ASPIRATIONS
OF YOUNG AUSTRALIANS.
YOUR MAJESTY, YOUR ROYAL HIGHNESS,
IT IS WITH A FEELING OF AFFECTION AND PRIDE THAT THE PEOPLE
OF AUSTRALIA WELCOME YOU AGAIN. PLEASE FEEL AT HOME HERE
BECAUSE YOU ARE AT HOME AND ARE AMONG FRIENDS WHO WISH YOU
WELL.