SPEECH NOTES: BY THE PRIME MINISTER, THE HON P. J. KEATING, MP
TO THE INAUGURAL MEETING: COUNCIL FOR ABORIGINAL
RECONCILIATION, CANBERRA, 21 FEBRUARY 1992
Mr Chairman, members of the Council I have taken this
opportunity to welcome you here for this inaugural meeting
and to say one or two things which I think ought to be said.
There is a big challenge ahead of you a challenge which
has pretty well defeated us for 200 years.
But I think this is a good time to take it on. I think there
is a new willingness among Australians to embrace change,
and there is certainly a willingness in this government to
make changes.
You'll see some of that in the economic statement next week.
As long as I'm in this position you're going to see changes.
And one of the big changes I want to see is change * in the
status of Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders. At
present it is awful. For many Aboriginal people it's a
tragedy. It debilitates our nation it debilitates our
culture, our reputation and our self-esteem. It undermines
our ambitions to be a good society.
I'm one of those people who think it can be fixed.
I think most Australians these days recognise that having
come here and taken over the place from the Aboriginal we
can't now sneer at those of them who have ended up
demoralised and destitute.
These days most Australians recognise that and if they
forget it from time to time, it doesn't mean that they can't
easily be persuaded to the cause of improvement. That's one
reason why we can make changes.
Most AustraliLans I think also recognise the unarguable fact,
the big fact the fact that Aboriginal Australians and
Torres Strait Islanders were the first Australians and
that they are no less Australians for that.
That's the fiLrst building block. That's a strength. it
means that ifE other things were equal there would be no
question about the status of Aborigines. They have an
absolute status, and an absolute right to be in the
mainstream, not the margins. The thing is to make the other
things equal.
The government is open to suggestion about the best way to
make this happen. The door's open. You're the best people to
judge, and we want to hear from you.
But, let me tell you, as a politician there are always
those who are happiest spending their time arguing the toss.
On these sorts of bodies you can spend your time debating
fine principles and finer points. You can talk about ideal
outcomes from now until the end of the century. You can
spend a decade in debate and deliberation.
Or you can do something.
I suggest you aim at doing something. Something real.
Make real improvements. Concrete improvements in health
and education for instance. Building blocks of change.
I believe in fact I'm quite certain that the best way to
improve relations between Aboriginal Australians and non-
Aboriginal Australians and the best way to provide a basis
for reconciliation is to close the gap in living conditions.
At present the gap is huge. It has to be closed in the end
it has to be diminished to the point where no one can point
to someone and say the reason for that person's poverty, or
illness, or alcoholism is that he or she is Aboriginal.
I think most: Australians want that to happen. And I think
they also recognise that it will only happen if the energy
and commitment is coming from the whole community non-
Aboriginal and Aboriginal. There's no question that the
Aboriginal community has got to deliver a lot of the
initiative, and be active players in this.
I said before that I think there is a shift in the mood of
Australia that people are open to change. I think that's
true in their attitude to your concerns.
I don't mean. that they simply want to see a problem solved.
They do want to'see that: but I also think non-Aboriginal
Australia is now much more sympathetic and much more
knowledgeable. We're generally much better educated about Aboriginal
culture and history, much more aware of the civilisation
which existed here before Europeans came, much more
knowledgeable about what has happened since and much more
concerned about what is happening now.
It's not true of all non Aboriginal Australians of course
there is still a certain amount of ignorance and prejudice
in this country, but, like I said, there's no future in
dwelling on the negatives, no point in dwelling on the
people who find it harder to see. Concentrate on the ones
who see best and the rest will be persuaded by the things
they see you do.
So again, if you'll forgive a little political advice
that's what you've got to work on, your strengths, and the
strengths which are waiting to be tapped. It's about
creating and catching a wave.
For my part, I am absolutely committed to this. It's a huge
challenge, and hugely significant in the determination of
Australia's future.
But if we the government, ATSIC and this council if we
set ourselves progressive goals and work towards them
urgently, we can begin to destroy that gap in living
standards, we can begin to make life better for Aboriginal
people and Torres Strait Islanders, and if we do that it
will be a lot better for non-Aboriginal Australians as well.
And when people see what is being done, more and more will
come to believe in what can be done and they'll want it to
be done.
Mr Chairman I have the greatest faith that you and your
Council can do it. I look forward to seeing you regularly
and seeing the signs of your progress. I wish you well.