E&OE..........................................................................................................................
Mr Chairman, ladies and gentlemen. His Grace, the Archbishop of
Melbourne, said that God had had a pretty good Convention. Can I
say that, without in any way wishing to belittle the Almighty's
success, can I say that I think Australia has had an even better
one. I think what this Convention has demonstrated is the truth
of a proposition that I have always held very dear and that is the
things that unite us as Australians are greater than the things
that divide us.
I ask myself what have I learnt out of this last two weeks? I have
learnt something that I wasn't so sure of at the beginning,
and that is that I have no doubt that Australia can conduct a referendum
on this issue with vigour, with passion and with meaning and yet
in a way that doesn't undermine or fracture the essential values
of our society.
I have learnt out of this Convention that this Australian way we
have of doing things is special and is unique. I haven't experienced
anything like this in all the years I have been in public life.
The bringing together of so many people in different ways, with
different backgrounds, with different contributions, with different
views was something that at the beginning one might have thought
was fraught with danger, that anything could have happened, that
anything could have emerged.
In terms of the positions that were taken I suppose at various
stages, that appeared possible. But in a great display of civility
and good humour and with great integrity in many areas, it was possible
for us to really let out what has been a moment in Australia's
history and a moment that I am sure that everybody has treasured.
I have been a Member of this Federal Parliament now since May of
1974 and I have been immensely privileged to come to the highest-elected
position in this country and to be given the greatest honour that
can ever become the lot of any Australian man or woman and that
is to be the Prime Minister of our wonderful country.
I would have thought therefore that the sense of excitement and
exhilaration is something that I had enjoyed it all. But there was
something about this gathering and the look on peoples faces, and
I share Geoffrey Blainey's response to the look on the faces
of those like Malcolm Turnbull and Neville Wran and Janet Holmes
a Court, not people who on this issue I identified with very closely,
but obviously you have an enormous enthusiasm for it and felt a
sense of exhilaration and happiness that what they had worked to
achieve had in fact been achieved.
Could I also pay particular tribute to Lloyd Waddy and to Kerry
Jones as the leaders of Australians for Constitutional Monarchy.
I know the difficulties that they have endured in putting forward
a cause which, for a long time, received very little support or
recognition in commentaries on this issue. I know their lack of
resources. I know what was said and suggested at the beginning about
their propensity to strategically vote. I salute their immense integrity
in the way in which they have handled themselves throughout this
entire debate.
The reason that this has been a success and the reason why it has
captured to a very significant degree the interest and the imagination
of the Australian people, is that despite our differences we all
smell the same Eucalypt, we all know the same dust and we all feel
the same salt in the same ocean. And, of course, those things that
are dear to one side of the argument are equally dear to others.
And what has struck me more than anything else about this whole
Convention and about the whole debate is the integrity of the Australianism
that has been expressed by all of the delegates. And I will go away
from this Convention an even more idealistic Australian, one with
an even greater passion to allow our democracy to flourish. We will
have a vote next year. The Australian people will decide the outcome
of that. And we will all accept the verdict of the Australian people
with grace and goodwill, all of us, whatever the result may be.
Can I say that it was always my fervent wish that this issue could
be resolved in the sense of it not being on the agenda when we celebrated
the Centenary of our Federation. If Australia is to become a republic,
it ought to be become a republic on the 1st of January 2001. If
Australia is not to become a republic at that time, let it be off
the agenda for the celebration of the Centenary of our Federation
so that we can share together the jubilation and the gratitude and
the affection that we feel for what this country has meant to us
over the last 100 years.
That doesn't mean to say that the issue, if it is rejected
next year, will not necessarily return. It is in the nature of a
democracy that is always open to the people. But the celebration
of 100 years of the Australian nation, with all its achievement
and acknowledging all of its blemishes. And can I say on that point,
that one of the things which has enriched this Convention has been
the contribution of the representatives of the first Australians,
the Indigenous people.
And I hope in a small way, to you Lois and Gatjil and Nova, and
to Pat and George and to Neville, I am sorry, and to David, I hope
that is in some way a sign and a signal from all of us that you
do occupy a very special place in our community.
I think we can look forward, with great hope and in a very positive
way, to the conduct of this referendum. This Convention has spoken
very clearly. It will be the intention of my Government, if it is
returned at the next election, to hold the referendum before the
end of 1999. In the meantime, in the nature of things, other issues
will flood back to the stage of public debate and I imagine that
there will be a period in which the debate on this issue might go
slightly on to the backburner, particularly so far as some of the
more active political players are concerned. But that, once again,
is in the hands of the Australian public.
We won't back track on the commitments that we have given
and I have given in the name of my Government. I said before the
last election that we would have a Convention. I promised the Australian
people a vote before the year 2000. I said at the opening of this
Convention that if a clear view emerged about a republican model
the Australian people would have a referendum. I repeat my promise
that that is what will occur. I repeat again that my Government,
the members of the Liberal Party of Australia and therefore in practice,
the members of my Government, will be allowed an open or a free
vote during that election campaign.
I am proud of the fact that my Party, the Liberal Party of Australia,
allowed a conscience vote on this issue. I don't say that to
criticise the other Party, I simply say it as a mark of the maturity
of my Party that we did that. This is an issue that is
a-typical, that is different. It doesn't follow the normal
conventions and cannons of political behaviour and I am very proud
of the Liberal Party being mature enough and strong enough to allow
people an open and free vote on this issue.
I want to say to you, Ian, that you have adorned the proceedings
of this Convention in a way that has won everybody's admiration.
There is nobody and I say nobody - and I am not normally noted for
modesty on these things - in this room, whose parliamentary skills
and whose management skills, in a Chamber such as this, are as consummate
as yours, Ian, and you have demonstrated that.
And to you Barry, you brought with your particular role, as National
President of the Australian Labor Party, but also because of who
you are and the character that you are and what you mean to many
people in Australia, you brought an added quality as Deputy Chairman
of the proceedings. And I also salute, very warmly, the contribution
that you have made.
I would like to thank Nick Minchin, in particular, who has carried
the ministerial burden. Nick has got two specific responsibilities
in my Government, and many others, but the two he has got have been
fairly lively of late. One has been the Constitutional Convention
and the other has been native title and he has worked very hard
and he has been a great source of support and strength to me, in
this. And I would also like to thank on my own personal staff, Catherine
Murphy, who has been of particular help to me and to Nick, and who
has kept me informed.
Can I join in thanking the Secretariat and in particular, Bill
Blick from my Department who has headed up the Secretariat. And
to Lyn Barlin, whose work as Clerk I admired immensely, and I am
delighted that he has been able to help us out.
There is not a lot more I can say. I am really so happy that we've
been able to hold something so different, so special and that we've
come through it better Australians. We are all the happier for the
experience. The memories that I will take away from this include
the lovely Grace sung last night by George and his wife, which was
a beautiful touch and a reminder of the special diversity of our
country.
The immense intelligence and dignity and bearing of the younger
delegates to the Convention with their variety of views. But not
to forget the age cohorts at the other end of the range were also
very well represented and their contribution was considerable and
we are greatly in their debt.
It has been a very special experience. I have loved every minute
of it. I feel privileged to have been the Prime Minister who brought
it about and I think it has brought us all together as Australians,
whatever the outcome referendum may be, in a very, very special
way. Thank you very, very much.
[ENDS]