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Delivery ENBAMX) ED U1rIL DELIVERY
JJJA USRALIA
SPEECH BY THE PRIME MIISTER
OPENING OF FRDXANTLK COMMONWEALTH OFFICBS-AND CUSTrKS HOUSE
PERTH -7 FEBRUARY 1987
FREMANTLE IS A CITY THAT THRIVES ON BOTH THE ERITAGE OF ITS
PAST AND THE PROMISE OF ITS FUTURE.
ITS HIITAGE VORlS A VITAL PART OF AUSTRALIA'S HISTORY.
ITS PORT WAS THE MAIN ARRIVAL POINT FOR THE EARLY SCTTLERS-OF
WESTERN AUSTRALIA, M1ID CONTINUED TO BE A PRINCIPAL ARRIVAL
POINT FOR THAT GREAT WAVE O. 10-IMGRANTS-WHO-CANE--TO AUSTRALIA
AFTER THE SECOND WORLD WAR.
AS A RESULT, THIS CITY AND THIS STATE HAVE BUILT UP A TRULY
NULTICULTURAL SOCIETY. ETHNIC GROUPS ANY OF WHOM ARE
REPRESENTED HRM CAN RETAIN THEIR LINKS WITH THEIR OWN
CULTURE WHILE PLAYING TO TE FULL A ROLE IN OUR KATICRAL
' CrVI C LIE.
FREMANTLE CAN B PROUD Of ITS ACHIKYDIMTS IN FOSTERING THIS
SPIRIT. TODAY'S AUDIENCE ILLUSTRATES JUST HOW DIVERSE AD
STRONG ARE THE GROUPS WHICH HELP BUILD THE GREAT COIUNITY
SPIRIT OF FRIDANTLI.
TODAY, FRXEMANE'S ROLE AS A POINT OF ARRIVAL FOR IMOIGRANTS
MAY HAVE DIILlnIsrID DUE TO AIR TRAVEL. OUT THE PORT CONTINUES
TO RAVE A MAJOR ROLE IN CARGO HANDLING.
AUSTRALIA HAS ALWAYS BEEN A TRADING NATION AND WE MOST REMAIN
IW IF WE ARE TO SURVVE.
RECENT WORLD KC( II C DEKLGOP ENTS CONFI2R THAT OUR ADI ITT
TO EXPORT STILL HOLDS THE KEY TO OUR PROSPERITY.
I
AS A GOVERNMIENT AND INDEED As A NATION WE HAVE WORKED HARID TO
REVITALISE OUR IMDIJEMIES AND REORIENT OUR ECOMOKY TOWARDS
EXPORTING. TO THOSE ORGAISTIOINS REPSENTED HIRE WHO ARE INVOLVED IN
PRODUCING AND HANDLING THE CAROMS THAT PASS THROUGH THIS
PORTO LIT ME SAY : YOU ARE E9ACH IN YOUR OWIN WAY DOING A VITAL
JOB3 IN MAKING AUSTRALIA MORE COMPETITIVE AND, ULTIMATELY,
WRALTKI R-
_ YOU ARE ELING FREMAMlLE -TO MAIN A-THRIVING PLACEZ OF
RC( BINI C ACTIVITY AND DIPLOIMIT.
PREMANTLEOS PRIDE IN ITS PAST IS FOUND NOT ONLY IN ITSPEOPLEs
BUT ALSO IN ITS BUILDINGS AND LANDSCAPE.
IM MAYOR FRIMANTLE CITY COUNCIL 15. TO SK CONGRATULATED FOR.
RSERVNG THE HISTORIC CHARACTER OF THIS CITY. THIS
BUILDING I S ANOHR l) EANFLE. OP THAT CONTINUfINGCIEV~ lZ
KY GOVERMUKNr 15 PROUD TO BE A PARTNER IN THIS WORK. BOTH
TOUGH MUR SUPPORT' FOR LOCAL GOVR WENT AND THROUGH THE WORK.
OF THE AUSTRALIAN HERTAGE CWIIsBIoS.
I KNOW TOK 11313 WILL BE GETTING TIRED OF NY SAYING THIS, BUT.
IT IS FITTING THAT HE WHO RAS PLAYED SUCH AN OUTSTANDING PART
IN WORKING WITH LOCAL GOVEl r 1" I THROUGHOUT AEJSTRALIA SHOULD
DR HIRE TODAY AT TE OPENING OF ANOTHER PROJECT THAT EMBODIES
THE CLOSE CO-OPERATIO( N HE HAS BUILT UP BXTWEN THE LOCAL AND
FEDERAL TIERS OF 00Y13MT.
THE NATIOAL TRUST 01 AUSTLAXAD, AND A NUNBER OF LOCAL
ORGANISATIONS, HAVE ALSO BIMN CRUCIAL IN PRESXRVING AND
PRESENTING THE HISTORY Or FRMEMLE.
THESE CCOH WEALTH OFFICES AND CUSTOKS HOUSE HAVE PRES! VD
THE HISTORIC FACADES 0O SOK OF THE ORIGINAL BUILDINGSt WHILE
THE NEW FACADES HAVE BMW SCALED AND DESIGNED TO COMPLEXMT
-AD--BLND-WITH -TH G ALPPARANCE OF THE AREA.
I'-saWTINs-talG0r3g~ i-TuAtS s-LE~ QS--Ha3IrETI1OAL9___
-FEDERAL PUBLIC SERVANTS _ WOR IN CANDBERA. TH. REST ARX: EDKNCETRAL!
SSDW SIRVI NO THE INTERSTS 01 THEIRLOCAL CLIENS
IN CITIES AND TOMS THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA.
FREANTLE. IS. NO. EXCZRTIMV. TWO OF TE HE WINGS OF THIS
BUILDING WILL BE OCCUPIED BY TE AUSTRALIAN CUSTOMS SEVICE.
THE THIRD WING WILL DRE OCCUPIED BY THM DPARNENTSM 42-SOCIAL
SECURTIY, PRIARY INDUSTRY, TRANSPORT AND HEALT.
THIS BUILDING TIUS COISOLIDATS TIM PRE9VIOUSLY RAGNENTE
OFFICES OF THESE AMGIES INTO OWI SITED WHICH WILL ENABLE
TMO TO PROVID A BE2TTEtR SEICX FOR THEIR CLIZNTS.
I CAN'T LET TIM OCCASI PASS WITRHOOT REFEKIICE TO TE
AMERICA'S CUP.
IT WAS A GRAT VICTORY BY DBhOIS COBMRW WHOSE'h1ORTS TO
REGAIN THE CUP 89 LOST IN 1963 SHOnD TEN WOZLD A NEW EANING
OF TEE WORD ' PRRSISTENC'.
I_ I
4.
AS FOR THE KO0KABURRA TEAM, KEVIN PARRY, IAIN MURRAY AND THE
CREW, WE CAN ONLY APPLAUD THEIR COURAGEOUS EFFORT AND THE
DIGNITY WITH WHICH THEY HAVE TAXEN DEFEAT.
PERHAPS ( SON OF OUR CUSTODS SERVICE PEOPLE IN TEE AUDIENCE
COULD HAVE SUGGESTED WAYS OF KEEPING THE CUP HERE IN WESTERN
AUSTRALIA. PERHAPS WE SHOULD HAVE APPLIED A $ 10 MILLION EXPORT DUTY ON
-ANY-MAJOR-YACHTING TROPHY LEAVING FREANTLE REFUNDABLE OF
COURSE, _ IF T TROPHY WERE RETURNED WITHIN THREE YEARS.
I DO NOT, HOWEVER WANT TO DWELL ON TEE LOSS OF THE CUP. I
] ANT TO SALUTE THE CITY OF FREMANTLE FOR THE GREAT
HOSPITALITY IT Wx ED TO TEE VISITORS PARTICIPANTS AND
SPECTATORS ALIKE DURING THE CHALLENGE.
THE SPIRIT PREVAILING HERE IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS, WHICH
APPARENTLY REACHED ITS HIGH POINT ON WEDIESDAY NIGHT WHEN THE
END OF THE CHALLENGE WAS CELEBRATD HERE AS IF IT HAD BROUGT
AN AUSTRALIAN VICTORY, IS A GREAT CREDIT TO OUR COUNTRY, TO
WESTERN AUSTRLAIA AND TO FREMANTLE.
MAY I SAY TO YOU ALL WELCOE TO THE NEW FREMANTLE CUSTOMS
HOUSE AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO DECLARE THESE OFFICES
OPEN. * e eeeee ee a ceege eeo
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