JAUJUSTRALIA
PRIME MINISTER
PARTIAL TRANSCRIPT OF SPEECH. OPENING OF BOB CATLEY'S
ELECTORATE OFFICE, SEFTON PARK, ADELAIDE. 23 JUNE 1990
E 0 E PROOF ONLY
Now ladies and gentlemen, it would be aooropriate, as I'm
opening the office of a local Member just to say something
about a couole of things that happened yesterday. A few
discussions I had with my friend Bishop Peter
Hollingworth. Let me say, I use the word friend advisedly
because I'm amazed that I'm told by my Press Officer that
one of the. the television stations last night and they're
quite remarkable how they manufacture news. said that after
a few words we had together I then commanded the Archbishop
to come to my office. The truth is. my friends, is that we
had a orior appointment which he'd arranged, which he'd
requested to meet me in my office ana when we finished we
walked out amicably together. We had a very. very amicable
discussion and we parted, as we went in, as very good
friends.
But it is important that I go to the issue of what I was
talking about yesterday because it couldn't be more
relevant than it is in opening the office of a Member of
Parliament. The words that upset me vesterday were not
words that uoset me in regards to myself cersonally. Now I
just remind you what the worcs were. They were these all
politicians willi only do something about it. that's child
Doverty, all politicians will only do somethina about it if
they feel tney have to at election time, for instance.
Now ladies and gentlemen. I thought that yesterday I had an
obligation, as rime Minister of this country, to speak uo
for all politicians because I think that one of the great
dangers in our democracy is the way in which ooiiticians.
as a class, are denegrated. It is easy. extraordinarily
easy to have the cheac shot at ooliticians. Very, very
easy but I want to say to you and my remarks are not only
directed to Labor Members of Par iament we have our
ideological. ohilosoonical differences with our opponents,
but by anrd arge what I say of my own Members I wi1l say of
Members of the ODoosition as individual Members of
Parliament they are hara-worki ng.
There's no great glamour or joy for your ordinary Member of
Parliament, particularly those in relatively marginal
seats. They have unceasing demands uoon their time. You
all know that it is not a financially well rewarding
vocation. Bob Cat ley will undoubtedly be worse off
financially in net terms as a representative here of this
seat of Adelaide than ne would have been if he'd continued
what he was doing before. And that is true. that is true i
think for the majority of Members of Parliament. that they
could be getting highet remuneration eisewhere.
But the uoiid. Umi noiinuH. my~ W ends. is this. 1 believe
that the Australi an soc ie~ y is in danger of being a less
efficient, a less nuhesive. a less aroductive society if we
encourage and al low. witho~ ut comment. the cheap shots at
the politician. And i say that not just of members of my
Party and I was not speaking yesterday just for Labor
members. I simply think it is not the case that members of
Parliament will only do the right thing if they are pushed
to do it and particularly at election time. I say this of
Members of Parliament across the spectrum. although i have
deep philosopnical differences with those on the other
side, but in regard to the overwhelming majority of
individual Parliamentarians. be they in the Labor Party,
the Liberal Party, the National Party or the Democrats,
that they do have a sense of commitment and oublic
service. They do not get great rewards, they have enormous
demands upon their times, their-families as well are
subject to enormous pressures and you will find that..
you already found it out now.
And what i was about therefore yesterday, my friends, was
not some defence of the Governmenz's policy, but trying to
say something whicn I thinK is important. if we're going
0 atnod hanvuer turteh e thoee st conscoerto r of ofs ocPiaertlyi amwee ntcaarny whQeermeo crwaec yc. h erthiesnh
let's make sure that we recognise the aischarge of the
obligations by ooliticians of the great resoonsibilities
they have upon them. And may i say. without going to
confidences in the discussions 1 had with Peter afterwards,
he acknowledged the validity of what I was saying and the
right that i had to oul; it. So I just want to make it
clear., that's what my concern was.
ends