Australia Day is an opportunity to celebrate the extraordinary achievement
which is our cohesive society.
It is easy to underestimate the scale of our achievement in building
a harmonious community with the rich cultural variety we enjoy.
We are fortunate to live in a society in which people of different
backgrounds feel confident to celebrate and share the richness of
their traditions, customs, culture, language and religious faiths.
The ethnic diversity and tolerance of our community gives Australia
a unique standing in the world. This status is underpinned by the
traditional Australian values of persistence, mateship, voluntary
effort and optimism.
The past year was dotted with priceless examples of these qualities
including the magnificent response to the Thredbo landslide and the
recent devastating bushfires around the nation.
As we reflect on nearly a centenary of Federation, it is fitting to
recognise that the accomplishments of 97 years as a federation are
immense.