PM Transcripts

PRIME MINISTER
PRIME MINISTER'S AUSTRALIA DAY MESSAGE
JANUARY 26, 1990
Today we are celebrating the first Australia Day of the
1990s. It is a day for looking forward to the challenges of an
exciting new decade for reaffirming our fundamental goals
for Australia as we approach the 21st century.
My goals for Australia are that we should build a modern,
growing economy; become a more self-confident and vigorous
participant in the dynamism of our region; create a
community dedicated more fully not just to the quantity of
our economic output but also to our quality of life to
social justice, to environmental protection, to
multicultural tolerance.
And in a world of profound and remarkable change, I want
Australia to continue to be seen as a constructive,
independent and clear-sighted contributor to the emergence
of peace and freedom throughout the world.
That is all certainly a tall order but a nation such as
Australia, with all our wealth of human and natural
resources, should set ambitious goals.
Indeed, as we look around this great nation, it's clear that
such goals are well within our grasp.
Of course difficulties lie ahead. This is no time for
complacency. But I think we can, on this Australia Day,
look with pride on our achievements as a community, and with
confidence on our capacity, working together, to tackle our
problems. There is no doubt: we have turned the national tide, from
ebb to flow. The 1990s do look bright for an Australia
prepared to continue the hard but rewarding work of creating
prosperity, genuinely earned and fairly shared.