E & OE.........................
Thank you very much Mr Chairman. To the Right Reverend Ian George, to my Parliamentary colleague, Alex Somlyay, to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and to the President of the Senate, ladies and gentlemen.
I think this morning is an opportunity to remark upon a number of things about our country. The most important of those is to remark upon the great good fortune that we have to live in a country as free, a country as peaceful, a country as united and a country as richly endowed with material resources as we are here in Australia. That fortunate accident of history and circumstance puts a special obligation on all of us at Christmas which is a season of goodwill, a season of renewal and a season to celebrate the Christian traditions of this country. It puts a special obligation on all of us to remember those in our community who are less fortunate, to remember that for every group of parents in Australia that thinks and dreams of buying a larger house there are some families who can't afford to buy their first house. For every child that might dream of playing cricket or football for Australia there are other children who are fighting against life-threatening diseases. For every person in Australia who seeks to have a better paid job, there is somebody who is simply grateful to have the opportunity of any job at all.
I have always admired the work of the churches in Australia in supporting the Christmas Bowl Appeal. The Christmas Bowl Appeal, as Air Marshall Evans indicated, was inaugurated 50 years ago and it now is increasingly supported by all of the Christian denominations in Australia and it is an appeal that reaches out to many of the less fortunate around the world, and amongst the causes that will be aided by the Christmas Bowl Appeal this year; it will provide food for Burmese refugees forced to flee across the border to Thailand; it will improve the health of children in Namibia, it will supply clean water to communities in Zimbabwe and Zambia; it will give orphans and their foster families in Rwanda the opportunity of a new life; it will provide support and advocacy for refugees settling in Australia and it will support many other meritorious causes around the world.
So on this occasion, as we come towards the celebration of the birth of Christ and we come to reflect upon the spiritual meaning of Christmas and we enjoy all of the other things associated with Christmas: the family reunions, the opportunity to catch up with friends we don't see so often, the opportunity to have a rest from our work, it is very important that both domestically and also internationally, it is very important that we reflect upon the situation of those in our community who are less fortunate.
I want to take the opportunity on behalf of the Government and I know on behalf of the people of Australia to thank the Christian churches of Australia for the great service that they render to the less fortunate in our community, the mission they carry on to look after the sick and the suffering and the dying, the mission that they discharge in spreading a message of hope and a message of spirituality within our community.
I am also delighted to be associated with the inauguration of a new tradition. It's always great to be part of a new tradition, to be present at the inauguration, present at the creation so to speak of a new tradition and the inauguration of the concept of a national Christmas tree, and I think it was put very nicely by the Right Reverend Ian George when he said he hoped it would become the postcard of the nation, the Christmas card of the nation, and I think it is a very, very fine idea. I want to congratulate the National Capital Authority and the Christian churches not only here in Canberra but all around Australia for being associated with this, and can I finally say to all of you, and I hope in saying to all of you it is a message that will reach all Australians, that as we celebrate Christmas, as we have occasion to give thanks for the privilege we have of being Australians, and all that is good associated with being an Australian, it is an occasion when we should remember the less fortunate in our community. We should give generously, support the Christmas Bowl Appeal and in that way contribute to the great cause carried on by the Christian churches of Australia of assisting the less fortunate in our community.
I therefore have very great pleasure, ladies and gentlemen, in inaugurating the Christmas Bowl appeal for 1997. I hope it is very successful and I know it will enjoy your very, very strong support. Thank you very much. It's been a real delight to be here this morning.
[ENDS]
E & OE..................................................................................................
Thank you very much Mr Chairman. To the Right Reverend Ian George,
to my Parliamentary colleague, Alex Somlyay, to the Speaker of the
House of Representatives and to the President of the Senate, ladies
and gentlemen.
I think this morning is an opportunity to remark upon a number of
things about our country. The most important of those is to remark
upon the great good fortune that we have to live in a country as free,
a country as peaceful, a country as united and a country as richly
endowed with material resources as we are here in Australia. That
fortunate accident of history and circumstance puts a special obligation
on all of us at Christmas which is a season of goodwill, a season
of renewal and a season to celebrate the Christian traditions of this
country. It puts a special obligation on all of us to remember those
in our community who are less fortunate, to remember that for every
group of parents in Australia that thinks and dreams of buying a larger
house there are some families who can't afford to buy their first
house. For every child that might dream of playing cricket or football
for Australia there are other children who are fighting against life-threatening
diseases. For every person in Australia who seeks to have a better
paid job, there is somebody who is simply grateful to have the opportunity
of any job at all.
I have always admired the work of the churches in Australia in supporting
the Christmas Bowl Appeal. The Christmas Bowl Appeal, as Air Marshall
Evans indicated, was inaugurated 50 years ago and it now is increasingly
supported by all of the Christian denominations in Australia and it
is an appeal that reaches out to many of the less fortunate around
the world, and amongst the causes that will be aided by the Christmas
Bowl Appeal this year; it will provide food for Burmese refugees forced
to flee across the border to Thailand; it will improve the health
of children in Namibia, it will supply clean water to communities
in Zimbabwe and Zambia; it will give orphans and their foster families
in Rwanda the opportunity of a new life; it will provide support and
advocacy for refugees settling in Australia and it will support many
other meritorious causes around the world.
So on this occasion, as we come towards the celebration of the birth
of Christ and we come to reflect upon the spiritual meaning of Christmas
and we enjoy all of the other things associated with Christmas: the
family reunions, the opportunity to catch up with friends we don't
see so often, the opportunity to have a rest from our work, it is
very important that both domestically and also internationally, it
is very important that we reflect upon the situation of those in our
community who are less fortunate.
I want to take the opportunity on behalf of the Government and I know
on behalf of the people of Australia to thank the Christian churches
of Australia for the great service that they render to the less fortunate
in our community, the mission they carry on to look after the sick
and the suffering and the dying, the mission that they discharge in
spreading a message of hope and a message of spirituality within our
community.
I am also delighted to be associated with the inauguration of a new
tradition. It's always great to be part of a new tradition, to
be present at the inauguration, present at the creation so to speak
of a new tradition and the inauguration of the concept of a national
Christmas tree, and I think it was put very nicely by the Right Reverend
Ian George when he said he hoped it would become the postcard of the
nation, the Christmas card of the nation, and I think it is a very,
very fine idea. I want to congratulate the National Capital Authority
and the Christian churches not only here in Canberra but all around
Australia for being associated with this, and can I finally say to
all of you, and I hope in saying to all of you it is a message that
will reach all Australians, that as we celebrate Christmas, as we
have occasion to give thanks for the privilege we have of being Australians,
and all that is good associated with being an Australian, it is an
occasion when we should remember the less fortunate in our community.
We should give generously, support the Christmas Bowl Appeal and in
that way contribute to the great cause carried on by the Christian
churches of Australia of assisting the less fortunate in our community.
I therefore have very great pleasure, ladies and gentlemen, in inaugurating
the Christmas Bowl appeal for 1997. I hope it is very successful and
I know it will enjoy your very, very strong support. Thank you very
much. It's been a real delight to be here this morning.
[ENDS]