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PRIME MINISTER I L i
CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY!' EMBAR'ORD UNTILDELIVERY
SPEECH BY THE PRIME . MINISTIR
CITIZENSHIP -CEREMONY
FAIRFIELD .23 AUGUST 1989
Distinguished guests,
Fellow citizens,
Let me first of all extend my congratulat
the Fairfield City Council for organising
ceremony today. ions and thanks to
this important
More than forty years ago, on 30 September 1948, the then
Australian Government I record-with pride that it was a
Labor Government introduced into Parliament the
Nationality and Citizenship Bill.. When this legislation
became law it established for the first time one of the most
powerful and vigorously constructive forces in the
Australian community: the principle of Australian
Citizenship. That law initiated a process under which in
the succeeding years more than two milliop: people an
average of 1,000 people every week . have taken on the
rights and responsibilities of Australian citizenship.
To mark the fortieth anniversary of this Bill, and to give
extra encouragement to this vital process; of citizenship, I
launched, on 30 September 1988, the Year of Citizenship.
Throughout the Year, my Ministers and. I have. attended
citizenship ceremonies like this in'every, part of Australia,
raising the level of awareness in thecommunity about the
importance of Australian citizenship-and encouraging
Australian residents to become citizens.:
So it is a real pleasure-to announce that over the financial
year 1988-89 a record 114,977 persons have applied for
Australian citizenship. Thirty of those people are here
today. A measure of the. impact of the Year of Citizenship
is provided by the fact that in this last financial year
more long-term residents applied for citizenship than in any
previous year.
But the Year of Citizenship is not a one-off effort.
There are still too many'Australian residents who are
qualified to become Australians citizens . but who have not
done so. 1295
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So I want to use this opportunity today to urge as many of
them as possible to follow the example of the 30 new
citizens here to express their commitment to Australia by
taking on the rights and responsibilities of Australian
citizens. Those who are becoming citizens today have many different
histories. They have come here from many different nations
Poland, Argentina, Iran, Malta, the Philippines, Chile,
Lebanon, Turkey, Yugoslavia, Peru, Uruguay, and the United
Kingdom. In their diversity they represent the diversity of
Australia. Let me say directly to these 30 Australians: I recognise,
and I think everyone recognises,, the magnitude of the
decision you have made.
The decisions to come to Australia, and then to take up
Australian citizenship, are among the greatest decisions one
could make in a lifetime. I You have chosen to make a public
commitment to your new~ homeland a. conscious declaration of
loyalty that those, ofus: whowere. born here rarely have
occasion to make.
Being Australian means many. things. It means sharing an
identity as Australian,. . t means taking responsibility for
maintaining and enhancing. the prosperity of our nation and
the harmony of our society.. It . means accepting our
parliamentary institutions, the:' rule'of law, freedom of
speech, our values of tolerance.; It means having pride in
the diversity of our multicultural society and in the values
of fairness, equity, tolerance and. a fair go for all.
Above all else, being lustralian means having a commitment
to Australia. The way, you'look, the way you dress, the
faith you observe, the place where you were born are
irrelevant to the questionof whether you are an Australian.
What counts is commitment and that's what you have
displayed in abundance today.
Australia is, of course, predominantly a country of
immigrants. Immigration: has beenialmajor source of
population increase since : 1788.. Four out of every ten
Australians today are immigrants or the children of
immigrants. Half of them come from non-English speaking
countries. Two million: Australians speak a language other
than English at home.
In short, we are one of the most. diverse, multicultural
nations on earth. Andirairfield itself would be one of the
most multicultural areas, with one of the highest
proportions of overseas born residents in Australia. People
from over 100 different nationalities have made their homes
here some born overseas and some, like you Mr Mayor, born
in Australia of parents who emigrated to make a new life in
this country
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I see that reflected in the faces around'me today. They are
faces of almost every continent, race, religion, culture,
language and society in the world.: Indeed, if someone were
to ask me what multi cultural Australia is like, I could
simply answer come to Fairfield, and see for yourself.
As far as Australia is concerned, this diversity has been a
great source of new talents and ideas, a-catalyst for social
dynamism, a true source of wealth in both its cultural and
economic senses.
The contribution that our immigrants have made to this
country is enormous. You only have to look around you to
see it in the clothes we wear, the food we eat, the
buildings we live and work in, the machineswe use.
Here in Fairfield we have children from many different
cultural and linguistic backgrounds growingiup as young
Australians. These children are learning to live in harmony
with each other. They don't get themselvestied up in knots
trying to define multiculturalism -' they simply live it,
every day of their lives, in the playgrounds and on the
streets. Some people however see diversity as a threat to our social
cohesion. They would seek to turn the clock back to the
days of discrimination on the basis of the colour of one's
skin or the country of one's birth. I
But we can't turn the clock'back and I for one would never
want to.
The White Australia Policy must stay in thei history books
where it belongs.
All Australians should enjoy the rights and carry the
responsibilities of life in this nationl All of us are
equally entitled to a fair go and to Government services.
All of us should have the opportunity to make use of our
skills and talents. I
These principles are encapsulated in the N tional Agenda for
Multicultural Australia which I announced ast month.
The National Agenda involves commitments of some $ 55 million
over three years and more than $ 75 million in total.
They include:
new arrangements to assess overseas qualifications which
will prevent the wasteful squandering of immigrants'
skills; I
a package of measures to improve Australia's language
skillsi and
a three year community relations campaign to tackle
personal prejudice and intolerant behaviour. 1297
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It remains the challenge ofœ our generation to complete the
transition to a new, multicultural Australia. We are all
part of it and we are all, in our way, contributing to it.
The National Agenda provides a new focus and a new
direction. L
Ladies and gentlemen, FO;
Let me conclude by quoting the first of the goals proposed
by the Advisory Council for a Multicultural Australia: " All Th
Australians should have'a commitment to Australia and share a
responsibility for furthering our national interests". 19
Those of you who are becoming citizensooday are. making a e
public declaration of this commitment. You join more than be
one hundred thousand others who have taken this pledge
during the Year of Citizenship. Au
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You represent many different backgrounds and many different i"
histories. But you all'have in common the wish to declare r
yourselves as Australians. m Vi
As Prime Minister of Australia I am proud to welcome you as
Australians and as fellow, citizens, and I wish you well in Th
all you do in the future. r
Just as the trees you are to be given will grow and prosper,
so I trust will your commitment to, and success in, this
nation thrive in the years ahead. v
From here let us work together, combining our talents, to
build a cohesive, tolerant multicultural society and to
ensure this great nation of Australia remains in the future
what it surely is todayj-the greatest nation on earth. ec
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