Thank you very much Mr Ron Evans, Margaret Jackson, the Chairman of Qantas, other distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen. And can I say commence my remarks by paying my respects to the traditional owners of the land on which this gathering takes place.
This gathering is historic for the game of Australian Football. It's very symbolic and it's also for me a moving occasion because the one great indigenous game of Australia recognises for the first time the massive contribution made by the indigenous people of Australia to the game of Australian Football.
We are known quite rightly as a sports loving nation. And as you all know I have many sporting passions myself and I'm therefore very honoured to have been asked to come today and to say a few words, and to support an occasion and an event which I think is very important in the sporting story and the sporting history of Australia. And in doing that, I want to pay very special tribute to the Australian Football League. I don't think it does an injustice or is unfair to any of the other great sports of our nation to say that the Australian Football League has probably done more than any other sporting organisation to further the cause of the complete involvement, and the complete acceptance and recognition of indigenous Australians in your sport.
There is something that Aussie Rules has done that perhaps other sports haven't done-although there've tried -quite so well. And the evidence will be unveiled in a little while when the Indigenous Team of the Century is announced. And as a sports fanatic myself there's always something fascinating and exciting about teams of the century-be it in Australian Rules, be it in Cricket, be it in any other sport. And everybody will have their views as to whether the selectors have got it right or got it badly wrong. But one thing that we will all agree on and that is enormous value to the unity of our own nation to have this massive involvement and respected involvement of Indigenous Australians in Australian Football.
From those days when Jo Johnson played for Fitzroy, just over a hundred years ago, we have seen a growing involvement of Indigenous Australians. But it's really been in the last few years that massive efforts have been made and those massive efforts have yielded great results. To have one in ten of the elite Australian footballers being indigenous is an enormous tribute, not only to the sport but also to the prowess and the athleticism of our indigenous fellow Australians.
And this has followed a very conscious effort, projects such as the Clontarf Project, which is designed to attract the participation and the involvement of young indigenous players in remote areas of Australia is an example that all sports in Australia can follow.
I don't want an occasion like this to single out too many people. But I do want to pay particular tribute to two. I want to pay tribute to Michael Long, who as you know at the end of last year decided to take a long walk to Canberra to come and talk to me about indigenous issues. As you know I do a bit of walking myself, not as long in one stretch that Michael did, but it was a wonderful demonstration of the man's spirit and the commitment he has to his people, but also the commitment he has to unity and cohesion of our nation. And I was delighted to receive him and to have a long talk about issues where I think we may be able to work together for the betterment of the indigenous people of Australia.
And of course in the contemporary playing scene, we have Adam Goodes, one of the two indigenous players that have won the Brownlow Medal. I mention those two as people very much of the contemporary scene, but without of course denigrating from the massive contribution of people like Polly Farmer-not only to the story of Australian Football but also the particular story of the contribution that indigenous Australians have made to the development of this wonderful game.
As I looked at that video I reflected not only on the enormous changes that have occurred to the involvement and acceptance and capacity of indigenous players in Australian Football, but the way in which football in this country, particularly the Australian version of football has spread on a truly national basis. The way in which when I grew up the divisions between the football codes were a lot more marked than what they are now, and the ready acceptance of Australian Football all over our nation now, is a tribute to the leadership of the game and is also a tribute to the players over the years, particularly in recent times.
But there is a special character about today. And that special character is that in a very symbolic fashion and a very genuine fashion, the Australian nation salutes not only our great indigenous game, Australian Rules, but particularly salutes the contribution of the first citizens of Australia to our only indigenous football code.
I congratulate the Australian Football League on this gathering. I thank the indigenous people of Australia for the contribution that they have made, not only to the enjoyment of Australian Rules Football, but the contribution that they have made over the years to the enjoyment of all sports by a nation that finds in sport, a national event that binds it together like nothing else.
I thank all of you and I wish the AFL and all who support it and all who play with it, great good fortune in the years ahead.
Thank you.
[ends]