* TEL: 20. Aug. 92 18: 33 No. 018 P. 01/ C
PRIME MINISTER
TRANSCRIPT OF THE PRIME MINIS1' ER, THE HON P J KEATING MPP
STRICTLY BALLROOM PREMIERE RIECErrlON, THE MUSEUM OF
CONTEMPORARY ART, SYDNEY0 19 AUGUST 1992
E& OE PROOF COPY
Thank you very much, Ita ( Buttrosc), Annita and I are delighted to be here. We have seen
the film, so the pleasure you had here tonight we had a littlc earlier about a week ago.
And In fact my whole family saw the film and T must say they loved it, all of them.
There are a lot of peoplc to be congratulated the producers, the actors, the director, the
choreographer. I think it is going to havc a marvellous reception and Strictly Ballroom
deserves It for the faith that everyone has had in it., right from its conception.
It's a light hearted film, but of course it springs from deep traditions of Australia which
those who arc old enough to remember would remember. And there's a few of us around
here tonight.
It comes from that old music and dancing tradition of Sydney. And therc was a namesake
of mine called Jack Keating who used to run a ballroom studio in Newtown. Some of you
herc won't remember it. He was really an institution. And whencver you walked in there
it was always thc same sort of hail with thc same sort of trusses across the ceiling, the
same sort of posters on the wall, and the steps and the rest. And old Jack would sidlc up to
you to see what you were made of and you'd do a couple of things, and if you weren't any
good he'd just dismiss you quietly, and if you showed any promise he'd follow you for
five minutes and he would then turn one of his trusted former pupils onto you and they'd
take you on to learn dances.
And T can see a lot of Jack Keating in Barry Fife. The only thing is when Jack was going
he had receding hair, where Barry had a very bad rug on. And Bill reckons he's still got it
on. I think the way rm going, I'm going to need it. But the thing was, I think it came
from that old tradition, and as a rcfugee myself from many a ballroom dancing show, the
scrublands at Marrickvlle, or over at the HurStville Civic Centre where a couple of
thousand would line up every Saturday night with the girls on one side and the boys on
the other, everyone eyeing each other off, not knowing whether one would cross the
TEL: 20. Rug. 92 18: 33 No. 018 P. 02/
2
divide and actually ask the question, and often get a refusal. All of that was in the great
tradition of ballroom dancing. And the great competitions that my own father and mnother
were ballroom dancers and comnpctitors at these various things the Trocadcro, the onc at
the Sydney Showground that's the Harden Pavilion now, and at various othcr places where
It was all done, the old Calais, and all the various spots around Sydney. And it came from
that tradition.
And what I think is wonderful, that wc had that supported by a family which has a great
tradition in Australian entertainment and radio, the Albert family. But it also camne from
NIDA which was another payoff for that long teiiin-vestxnent In the nation's cultural
devclopment. And I think the same can be said of the Sydney Dance Company, with that
brilliant performance by Paul Mccurio and Tara Morice, which of course has sprung again
from the equally brilliant Graham Murphy and his Company. And other Australian
cultural institutions like the Sydney Thcatrc Company, thc Film Finance Corporation, who
benefited again in the Budget last night well if you don't gct a clap for $ 60 million,
you're ncvcr going to get one. T'he Australian Film Institute, the New South Wales Film
and Television Offie.
So therc are many Institutions involved in this. The real heart of Australia is involved
here. And the concept is a peculiarly Australian thing, and it's great to revive that sort of
thing In this year 1992, when not so long ago it was all the vogue. But as we all know,
ballroom dancing has come back, I won't say it has come back into its own because I don't
think It has, but it is coming back as a form of dance, and it's obviously attracting many
peoplc again.
it's a lovely film, a happy film, and a lovely ending, a nice happy ending. The nasty old
bugger who was running the show ended up being sidelined, and Mum and Dad, Dad
came good at thc cnd, and Mum, you could have chokcd her couldn't you? But in the end
be picked hcr up, she decided to bc in it as well, which is a really quite a marvellous thing.
But it's a sweet, sweet show. It's also of course a charity event tonight. And I do need to
say the AIDS Trust in Australia, M A Film Corporation and Ronin Films, thank y'ou for
organising this evcnt. Just as we congratulate those people who made the film, we also
would like to give credit and thanks to those whosc efforts helped so much to restrict the
spread of AIDS in Australia. The Bobby Goldsmith Foundation, to whom the funds from
this event will go, is one I want to pay tribute to.
I also mean those In thc gay community where ALD_$ jemnains largely confined, who, in
the midst of the tragedy, have worked hard to provide education and support, the
Government has been in there helping them. I would like to pay tributc tonight to those
people from the scientife and medical professions and other walks of life who have given
so much time and skill to deal with the complex scientific, social and legal issues which
the epidemic has raised.
TEL: 3
I might also take the opportunity to thank those on both sides of politics who have set
aside differences to deal constructively with the threat of AIDS.
We've done well in Australia, I think, to contain it and better in fact indecd than In most
countries. I know that's very small comfort for those who have lost friends and relatives,
and for those who are suffering from the disease. I doubt if there's anyone here whose
lives have not In some way been affccted by AIDS. Of course, with It the nation's life has
also been affected. We've lost some of our best people.
And tonight I think Is the best possible response-the celebration of an artistic triumph, as
a way of helping the ight to deal with AIDS.
So this is quite an event. It's always an event in Australia to produce a feature film which
has that peculiarly Australian quality to it, and at the same time Is commercial and
attractive and successful, and restoring, bringing ou~ some of the old Australia while we're
doing It, entertaining ourselves with the work of an enthusiastic cast, producers, director,
and backers, and while wc do, help in one of the worthier causes of the nation, fighting
this terrible epidemic.
So congra ul at ions to everyone involved. Thank you very much for having me along.
Arinita and I loved thc film, so did our kids, and I hope it's a huge success for everybody
involved. T2EL0:. Rug. 92 18: 33 No. 018 P. 03/(