E&OE................................................................................................
Well thank you very Angry. To Pat, to his mum, Kath, to his two children,
Brooke and Dillon, all of whom will be accompanying him on this remarkable
run around Australia, to the President of the Senate, Peter McGauran,
Laurie Ferguson and Senator Faulkner, ladies and gentlemen.
It's an enormous privilege for me this morning to say godspeed,
bon voyage, good luck, great running, whatever exhortations one chooses
to use. To Pat, on behalf of the entire Australian nation, this is
a spectacularly Australian way of really beginning the public face
of the celebration of the centenary of the Australian nation. It brings
together two things that are very close to the Australian identity.
And that is personal achievement, particularly on the sporting field,
and also the vast distance, and the size of our remarkable country.
But over the next, what, 217-odd days, Pat will join Australians in
every Territory and every State. For openers, he said to me, he's
going to go to Goulburn today, and then after celebrations there he'll
go onto Mittagong. And that is just the beginning and it gives all
of us in the comfort of our offices and whatever else we may be doing,
some idea of the physical challenge, and the physical undertakings
that he's embraced. But it's something that I believe will
touch Australian hearts. It's something that will connect us
with the vastness of our country, and also with personal endeavour
and personal achievement. It's going to be a great celebration
the centenary of federation, and this a special and particularly Australian
way of commencing those celebrations. And in wishing you great success,
in saluting this historic commitment that you are making to such a
huge run around such a large country, I want to express on behalf
of all Australians our thanks, our admiration and our good wishes.
And I've asked Pat to carry a message from me to all of
the people of Australia talking about the celebration of the centenary
of our nation. And that message will read as follows:
All the people of Australia are invited to celebrate the Centenary
of the Federation of our nation in 2001.
I hope that, whatever your heritage and backgrounds, you will
join the governments and local communities of Australia in commemorating
the hundredth birthday of our great nation.
It is a time to reflect on the past, take pride in the present
and look to the future with confidence.
A very proud Australian, Pat Farmer, is linking symbolically
all States and Territories as he undertakes this ultra-marathon
run for the Centenary. It is this kind of courage and determination
that built our great nation.
I am delighted to have Pat Farmer as my special emissary in
delivering this message to you.
Ladies and gentlemen, I wish on your behalf, good luck Pat on his
great journey around Australia. Thank you.
[ends]