TRANSCRIPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER, THE HON P J KEATING MP
INTERVIEW WITH ALAN SUNDERLAND, SBS TV, SYDNEY, 26 APRIL 1995
E& OE PROOF COPY
AS: Prime Minister, many people are saying it's a great coup for Australia to
have this Global Cultural Diversity Conference here in Sydney why is
that?
PM: Perhaps it's some recognition of the success we have had with cultural
diversity ourselves, in what we call multicultural ism. That is, the mores
and tenets of our multicultural ism of our own democracy here as it has
developed. I think that the fact that the conference is here important as
the conference is in its own right the fact that it is here, pays us a
compliment.
AS: There is a sense in which global diversity, and managing cultural
diversity, is particularly important in the world at the moment do you
think Australia has something to say about how to achieve that?
PM: I think we have, and as I said in my remarks, I don't think there is any
single template here. You can't take the Australian experience and put it
somewhere else, but the interesting thing is, though, after the Cold War
when what is called the " bi-polar tension" the two camp tension which
held everything else tight where community differences, ethnic
differences, racial differences, religious differences were suppressed.
Now that tension has gone, they are coming out. And, so rather than the
United Nations, for instance or the rest of us being involved managing
trouble spots which are the manifestation of the tension what this
conference is about is dealing with the tension at its source. That is, what
is causing these things. And if you see quite large problems look at
Rwanda in the last week as a very express cause of these tensions yet
the underlying tensions are well understood culturally well understood
in that country. So, I think what we are about here is saying " well, in this
country of Australia, we have handled various... what would otherwise be
various racial and religious tensions well". And probably one of the
reasons we have, is that we have a very great sense of democracy a
deep sense of democracy that our sense of democracy gives every
person space ethnic space, religious space, political space and that
tolerance lets it all work.
AS: Well, that sense of democracy was very much on show today of course
we had almost as many people outside the Conference protesting about
Macedonia, Bosnia and other issues, as we did have inside listening to
the speeches does that suggest that in some areas there is still some
tension to be resolved?
PM: There will always be tensions, but you made the point yourself it's the
sort that is par for the course they are out the front having their say.
And that itself is an expression of the very democratic values that make
Australia work. And you notice that the Secretary-General in his speech
talked about inculcation of the values of democracy. Not the models not
the models where you have a parliamentary system or a presidential
system not the models, but the values.
AS: Okay if we talk about the tensions, there is one group I wanted to talk
about briefly. It seems there are still, albeit a small group, but there are
some Australians who would feel excluded by the multicultural process
who would feel, rightly or wrongly, that they are not part of it, and they feel
rejected by it and that shows itself in some of the more radical right-wing
groups that demonstrate we have seen problems overseas, most
recently with the bombing in Oklahoma. Do you think that Australia can
afford to ignore this group of disaffected people who we can see we saw
in Adelaide over the weekend, National Action people -who have a
problem with the whole nature of our society?
PM: I don't think we can ignore them, and I think we wish that these people are
affected by the ambient attitudes of Australia the ambient societal
attitudes. That is what the remedy... that is what the antidote is to these
sorts of things it's not the Government's security forces crawling over
them, or in them, but rather that they know that their message, essentially,
is not to be generally accepted. But if the cause of the disaffection is
some neglect by the rest us, is some insensitivity by the rest of us, well,
that is something we should correct.
AS: Sure.
PM: But often these things are racist, intolerant in the case of Oklahoma,
criminal so no multicultural policy is going to deal with that.
AS: Lets finish with a couple of brief, practical questions. You talked about
the need to include the Aboriginal community in this society through the
Social Justice package being an important part of reconciliation how is
the Government going to deliver on a Social Justice package of that
sense of proportion, at the same time as you have committed over the
next few years, to cutting back your own budget, and your own
discretionary spending, as much as you possibly can?
PM: I don't think this is about money this is about rights. It's not about
money.
AS: But at the end of the day it must come with a price?
PM: The bit that comes with a heavy price is land, and that is already factored
in. That's Mabo and the Land Fund, and what we will now be spending
on health but a large part of that has been factored in and community
services, but the rest of the Social Justice things are about rights. They
are not necessarily carrying a price ticket on them. So, I don't think
money is the problem in all this it's just a matter of getting it right, and
trying to move both the debate and the modalities of social justice for
indigenous people moving it forward so that there is no more
disappointment of one move forward and then slippage. But to move it
forward with certitude.
AS: Sure.
PM: That's the challenge it's not really money.
AS: Okay. Final question the republic has been a big part of the Keating
Government's issue of identity for Australia coming together. When you
went to Germany, the indications were then that we expected to see the
Government's response on a republic in a few weeks still not there, how
soon are we going to see that fairly important plank?
PM: You will be seeing it, and not so far away, but it is the key thing is
though is that it is central to the fabric of Australia to its society. You
can't get around as an independent nation when the Head of State
belongs somewhere else, and that should be pretty self-evident to
anybody. And the second thing is, it is central economically that I mean,
there is a sense about Australia now where people feel good about the
country, they feel up-beat about the country, they feel confidence, they
feel as though there is something special happening here they are
moving forward with a sense of identity. What the republic does is make
that identity clear it puts the seal on that identity. Because you can't get
4
around the world borrowing the Head of State of another country. I think
that is the important thing my opponents say " this is a distraction". Well,
the ones who say that don't understand what it really means, and if they
don't understand, then they are not entitled to run the rest of us.
AS: Prime Minister, thanks for your time.
PM: Thank you.
ends.