E&OE................................................................................................................................
To the Premier of Western Australia, Richard Court and Mrs Court,
to Kevan Gosper, to Mr Lawrence, to Tan Le, to the many other distinguished
guests, ladies and gentlemen. Could I first of all say what a great
idea it is that the Australia Day Council now takes the announcement
of the Australian of the Year around Australia. Previously it used
to just about always be announced in Sydney or in Canberra. I think
it's a marvellous innovation that it's now going all around
Australia.
I think it's a tremendous opportunity for all of us as Australians
on an occasion like this not only as I normally do when I come to
such a presentation, and that is to stand in awe of the achievement
and the contribution of men and women of Australia to so many endeavours
and so many walks of life in our country, and when you think of
the breadth of experience and the breadth of contribution and the
sacrifice of individual self for the good of humanity that is represented
by so many of the people who are nominated for this award, it does
rather make you stand in awe of the contribution of individual men
and women to the building and the betterment of our country.
But it's also an occasion to reflect upon values that are
particularly important to all of us as Australians, those values
of optimism, those values of tolerance, those values of perseverance
and those values of mateship and when I look back over the last
year, I am reminded of so many examples of the living out of those
values by Australians, and although not remarking on it as the only
example of course, we are reminded of the tremendously uplifting
experience of all those volunteers in the various disasters, particularly
but not only at Thredbo, but also in the bushfires, and it's
a true demonstration of that great Australian spirit.
Ladies and gentlemen, I have enormous pleasure in announcing that
the Australian of the Year is Cathy Freeman.