a 4
JAU8? RAUA7-
PRIME MINISTER l(
TRANSCRIPT OF INTERVIEW. CENTRAL AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINAL
MEDIA ASSOCIATION, ALICE SPRINGS, WEDNESDAY 2 SEPTEM'BER
1987
E & O0E -PROOF ONLY
FM: as the Aboriginal people come to understand that
we are increasingly accepting their observations And~ 4h&+ 4
Aboriginal people in turn will recognise and accept that
so that together we can move faster in the task that we
have of rectifying many of the injustices that have accummulated
owprt thn nearly 200 years of European settlement in this
country. JOURNALIST: Mr Hawke~. next year does mark the 200th
anniversary of the arrival of the British in Australia
and many Aboriginal people around Australia are concerned
that in 1988 there is some recognition of Aboriginal
people have suffered over the last 200 years.
PM: I have made it quite clear since I Jecame Prime Minister
I think you will notice whenever I speaX~ the bicentennial I talk
about it being a celebration of 200 years of European settlement
because we must all remember that whiltu it is appropriate th3t
we remember that period that we have goL Lo the most flecting
stage of the history of this country goes back 40,000 yedavN ui
more. And I very much want to see a situation before 1987 finishes
whereby there can be a clear understanding by all of . us that
that is the nap And I would like to see 1988 prece ded by
some sort of unde~ rstanding--compact, if you like. I don't want
to get caught up in particular words but a compact of understanding
between the whole Australian community which recognises that
1988 is the celebration of 200 years of European settlement.
And to recognise that in that 200 years very many injustices
have been suffered by the Aboriginal people; to recoqnise, I
hope, that since 1967 when the referendum was passed and
power given to the federal government, that there has been a
significant acceleration in that period of act= directed towards
meeting some of the problems of the Aborigina. And certainly
I would hope that recognition has been further accelerated
in the last years. But that compact, or statement of
understanding, should recognise that there Is an obligation and
commitment on the part of the whole Australian community to move
further in the areas of education, health. employment, training
so that there can be confidence in the Aboriginal community,
as we go into 1988, that the proper celebrations that there should
be of the bicentenary in the sense that I have described it,
is something with which they can identify.
JOURNALIST: But can you see your Cabinet M'inisters making
a treaty Aboriginal people by the end of ' 88.
PM: I have discussed with Cerry Rand) and I think we must address
the question of stating the relationship and the obligations
that are involved in that relationship. Whether it is called
a btrehe~ ua tgy', n I woamr dso pen-am tinrdeeadt y, a bao uct oItm. p aI cdto. n'Tt hthiimnko twne tshioguld
is that there be a clear statement of understanding by the total
Australian comm~ unity of the obligations that the community has
to rectify some of the injustices that have occurred during the
our 200 year3-statement of understanding, of obligation,
and of commitment, those are the important things. So whether
you call it a treaty or a compact, I don't think matters very
much and I am not hung up about the words, it is the substance
that I think is important.
JOURNALIST: inaudible question
PM: Yes, and I have already made sure that is done as far as i
in our powers. The negotiations that will be continued by Gerry
wHainldl cwointhti ntuhee Stot atbees maandde qTueirtrei tocrleieasr aasn d haopupre nceodm mbietmfoernet tthoe thPaatrliament
rose in the middle of this year. You know that the changes that
were made in regard to mining and aboriginal rights in the Northern
Territory recognised the unequivocal right of the Aboriginal
bDeAcpaIpupse f-on f hatvhiee ira pveerocae ptti otnh o of thes taiymapso rtthainacte thof~ siwtceassa, L cd thLeuy may
simply don't want to negotiate about that. And that is written
into the legislation.
JOURNALIST: Tha Federal Government has reelly is your Goverrnent
going to extend..
P1M: I would regard that as appropriate in the circumstances
where there was a clear aboriginal community interest and involvement
and I think we have shown the commitment.
JOURNALIST: Mr Hawke, just going back if there is to be
a treaty aboriginal culture, history and rights?
PM: Let me taka the first point. You are absolutely right that
there has to be an increased understanding on the part of non-
Aboriginal Australians about the history of this continent.
And the history of that 200 years that we will be celebrating
next year as beA a super-imposition upon the 40,000 years or
more of previous hi story. jnd I think that the more that Australians
see the 200 years that ha s -assed as at% important part of that
longer period, then there will be a growing sense of realisation
of the importance of that culture and history and of our. 2] aigation
to ensure that the Aboriginal inheritance of that 40,000y,, R; ve
their interests, grievances, and concerns properly recognised.
I don't think there is one particular way in which this educative
process can proceed. I think we all ought to acceptlin the process
of trying to get some statement this year before 1968 starts,
of the nature of the obligation. Then, if we can get that general
statement, then the process of education should permeate all
the things that we do. There is no one particular way that I
thials. we ahouvl sloole oi4 begause if you. do that it seems artificial.
PM cant: I think the important thing is, and we have an obligation,
I have an obligation 4s Prime Minister, I have certainly tried
well before the end of this year to get a clear statement made
of how we should be thinking of 1988. And within that clear
statement to try and get into the minds of all Australians the
importance of seeing this 200 years against the background of
the 40,000 years that have gone before. If we can get that sort
of fundamental understanding then I think the educative process
that you need will flow to lust about that we do.
JOURNALIST: Can you tell us land rights. It is very difficult
to get land rights. How Is the Government going to handle
the Burke Government in Western Australia and get land rights
in that State?
PM: Let me make this preliminary observation. We have taken'
the view that what is fundamentally important if we are going
to make negotiations and meaningful decisions about land rights S10' 1*
is that we have as much support as we can from the people in
government of the states because the worst thing that could happen,
I think, In this area, would be if there was an attempt Just
quickly and unilaterally to impose something from the centre.
And that there was within the states concern, who afterall do
the responsibility of administering activities which are
Important to the Aboriginal people. If there was a sort of backlash,
lack of involvement, that could be counterproductive. So what
we have tried to do ince we have been government, the previous
Minister and canbIe pursued by Gerry Hand, the current Minister,
is to negotiate~ with the states In a way which will hopefully
get their co-operation and involvement. You mentioned Western
Australia. Let me point out that already we have negotiated
relatively early in the life of our Government, an agreement
with thq Burke Government in regard to leases in the Kimberleys. IiIf4a
kW LPr w _' dcu in $ 6 million to fac~ ilitate the purchase by
the Government in Western Australia and on the condition that
there would be a significant proportion of those cattle leases
in the Kimberleys that would-be made available to the Aboriginal
coimmunities in that area. In this sort of way we are trying
to negotiate, not only with the Government in Western Australia.
but with the other states, in., way which, in the end, will produce
a situation, as far as q~~ C~~~~ there will be agreement
from the states calling for a broad model that we think is
appropriate. And I don't think it is very helpful at this stage
while Gerry is going to be involved in negotiations of saying
now if that doesn't work this is what we will impose-It i in 4) cfnwc
Aboriginal people, as much as anyone, to try and continue the Fmvcess
cfco-operation. For instance here in the Territory. Gerry
will on the 4th September, Gerry Is going to be sitting down qeff
and negotiating with the Northern Territory Cki~~~~ k& L~ Ai
to try and bring about a situation there where it is by agreement
we will be able to get the sort of outcome that is desirable.
So we have got provisions in the legislation that we passed earlier
this year but which we haven't proclaimed. We could Just legislate
but it seems to us much better for Gerry to sit down and negotiate.
And if we can got aqreement on these issues then that over the
longer term) is going to be much more beneficial for te Aboriginal
people as well as for the non-Aboriginal communIty.
JOURNALIST: What about land rights throughout Australia. There
was the referendum in 1976 that changed the constitution so that fhit,
Commonwealth could make laws for Aboriginals all over Australia.
When do you see this power being exercised to make a national
land rights bill Northern Territory land rights.
P11: In fact the referendum was passed in 1967 not 1976 so in
one sense you might think that makes it work because if it is
yeari ago now that that referend~ i~ m was passed and it is worth
noting that it was passed by an overwhelming majority. At that
stage'the Australian people made a clear judgement that they
wanted the national government to have responsibilities in
an important area of Australian affairs. In a sense I have answered
this question in some of the observations I made earlier. And
that is that we, when we came to office in 1983, developed broad
principles in regard to aboriginal land rights and then decided
that what we would want to do would be to negotiate with each
of the states. And I think you will appreciate the conditions,
the areas involved, differ from state to state. And that, by
definition, is a pretty slow and painful process. I think progress
has been made and I know that it is going to be one of
Gerry Hand's prime areas of interest and activity now that he
is the Minister to pursue those negotiations with the various
states. I repeat what I said earlier that ideally you would
like to be able to negotiate this 4N6b1in a co-operative way because
in the end it seems to me that the interests of the Aboriginal
people are going to be best served if what comes out of those
negotiations is something which is as a result of co-operation
and agreement rather than something which has been imposed.
And let me make this point I am optimistic that these processes
of negotiation with the various states will be productive. I
really am optimistic about that. But I do say this if at the
end those processes of negotiation can't, in a particular state,
produce an acceptable outcome then the Governrent will have to
face the issue of exercising its legislative powers which were
given to us by the Austra lian people 20 years ago. But I repeat
we will be sending our best to try and get that result by 4he
processes of CC-O" peiW
JOURNALIST: Mr Hawke, I have Aboriginal people in
Central Australia and on behalf of CAAMA I would like
to thank you for your time on CAAMA radio and hope that the rest
of your stay here..
PM: Thank you very much. Could I just say how to be here
at CAAMA. I have only been here, obviously, for a very short
time but I am impressed by and by the enthusiasm of Freida
and all the people involved. And I certainly wish you all the
best in your endeavours.
ENDS