Subjects: Centenary of Federation; National Anthem; Trade
E&OE................................
DELANEY:
And not only the dawn of a New Year but depending on your perspective it's also the beginning of a new millennium. And of course it's the 100th anniversary of the inauguration of Federation, it's a time when we should be looking at exactly how things work in this great commonwealth of ours. Who better to ask than our Prime Minister, John Howard. Good morning Prime Minister.
PRIME MINISTER:
Good morning Owen nice to be with you.
DELANEY:
Good to have you with us.
PRIME MINISTER:
Happy New Year to all of your listeners, particularly in this very special year for our country.
DELANEY:
It is a special year, I suppose most of us are thinking but hang on it's older than a hundred years it can't just be a hundred years. That's the thing that many people are saying.
PRIME MINISTER:
Well of course it's thousands of years old. The first Australian's have lived in this country for thousands of years but as a political unit, as the Commonwealth, as a Federated Nation it did start on the 1st of January 1901. When the then six colonies came together the most bloodless formation of a democratic society probably in recorded history and a great tribute to the people who worked so very hard to win popular support. People often don't realise that Australians actually voted in referendums for the inauguration of the Commonwealth of Australia. It wasn't thrust on us by the British. In fact they basically agreed to everything that we asked for. There was very little argument between the leaders of the then Australian colonies and the British Government about independence. It is one of the myths that's sometimes put around that in some way we just accepted what was given to us. It was quite the reverse. We fought for, we argued for something but we didn't meet with any real resistance.
DELANEY:
Looking back on history and correct me if I'm wrong because I'm not the greatest historian but I think there's been eight changes to the Constitution since it's inception and it still seems to be working well. I mean eight in a hundred years is not a lot.
PRIME MINISTER:
Not a lot, it may be a few more than that, but that is broadly, your point is absolutely right that we don't change it very often. Not easy to change, you've got to get a majority of Australians as well as a majority, in a majority of states but that's no bad thing. The Constitution has worked well. The Federal System in Australia has been quite successful. It's frustrating on occasions, I can point to examples where it might hold things back, but on the other hand for a nation as big as Australia its really is very effective because you do need the decentralised decision making. And when I look at - for example - at the way that the American Federal System works, particularly in relation to the counting of votes in elections.
DELANEY:
Yes, that was a good example.
PRIME MINISTER:
I think how remarkably unified and consistent things like that are in our country. And we seem to have struck the right balance in this country between - on the one hand having a very strong national identity - but also recognising that in a very big country you do need to decentralise decision making even beyond the States. We took a decision towards the end of last year to provide some additional money for roads and we've given that money direct to the Local Governments of Australia. We've in effect said well this is not really a State matter this is a Local Government matter and we're giving the money directly to Local Government and I think it is important that we recognise the role of every level of government in Australia.
DELANEY:
I can never help but think of opportunistic times to do and say things. Your old advisory Bob Hawke was lending support on Friday to the push for a new National Anthem. Even though of course he wanted Advance Australia Fair, I mean I wonder what this push is all about, have you heard anything about it?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I read about that. Let me say that in 1977 when we had a vote on this I voted for Waltzing Matilda. I didn't vote for Advance Australia Fair and I don't know what one Bob voted for, I'm not sure. I always thought he supported Advance Australia Fair.
DELANEY:
Well he did, I'm sure.
PRIME MINISTER:
Well anyway, my view is that you can't keep changing these things. And I mean you can pick and choose about words in an anthem and so forth and you can always think that particular words could be better expressed but the people have got used to singing Advance Australia Fair. It was sung with great verve and gusto at the Olympic Games and I was told by many foreign visitors how well Australian crowds sang their National Anthem. So although it wasn't my preference back when we had a vote on it - and I'm very moved by Waltzing Matilda - it's the most moving of all Australian ballad's or patriotic songs. And I also think the Bruce Woodly, 'I am Australian' in ten years time will have an emotional effect on many Australians as just about anything we have. I think it's a wonderful song, a wonderful tune, wonderful words, but we've got an anthem. That's accepted and it's a bit like the flag, I think once you get those things accepted what is the point of change for change's sake.
DELANEY:
Indeed. What do you see as the major issues facing the Australian Federation in this Centenary year? I suppose your entering the final year of your current Government.
PRIME MINISTER:
Well that is a more immediate political issue but on a broader national front I think that the most important thing that we should do this year is properly reflect on what we have achieved. We are a very cohesive society. No country in the world has absorbed people from 140 different nations so smoothly and peaceably as has Australia. I think our egalitarian spirit is the thing that has made that absorption so effective and that is something that has been with us for a long time and it's very much part of the Australian ethos. Like every other nation though we've made our mistakes there are things we should be ashamed of but we're no different from any other country and the successes and the achievements out weigh the mistakes. We have to see our selves as playing an important role in the Asia Pacific Region, that's where we are, that's where a lot of our trade is but we also have very strong links with North America and with Europe. We always see Australia as in effect a citizen of the world not just a citizen of our region and it's very important to keep that in mind.
DELANEY:
I think that from a Trade point of view I agree one thousand percent. I could never see the sense in.
PRIME MINISTER:
You shouldn't put all your eggs in one basket.
DELANEY:
Exactly not.
PRIME MINISTER:
If we had not developed markets in Europe and North America two or three years ago.
DELANEY:
We would've been in trouble.
PRIME MINISTER:
The collapse would have engulfed us as well and we would've all been a lot worse off.
DELANEY:
Thankyou very much for your time, I know it's a busy time for you but I am grateful for the time and to your family and everybody that works with you a great and prosperous New Year.
PRIME MINISTER:
Very nice to talk to you and your listeners and I wish all of them a very enjoyable day on the first of January 2001 and a great year.
DELANEY:
Thanks Prime Minister.
PRIME MINISTER:
Thankyou.
[ends]