PRIME MINISTER
SPEECH BY THE PRIME MINISTER, THE HON P J KEATING MP
LUNCHEON IN HONOUR OF FRANJO TUDJMAN, PRESIDENT OF CROATIA
PARLIAMENT HOUSE, TUESDAY 20 JUNE 1995
It is a great pleasure to welcome you here to Australia.
This first visit by a Croatian head of state is obviously a significant event. It is
a cause for celebration among Australians of Croatian descent, who have
contributed so much to Australia in the past, and who are now especially
well-placed to help build a new and more substantial relationship with
Croatia. Croatian-Australians have played an important part in Australia's history.
Since the Ballarat gold rush of 1854, more than 100,000 Croatian-Australians
have contributed their labour, skills and innovation to Australia's economic
and social development.
Croatian immigrants and their families have helped to open up rural Australia
and to develop our resource and agricultural industries. Croatians became
K miners in New South Wales, cane cutters in Queensland, farmers and market
gardeners in Western Australia and other states.
Croatian fishermen from the Croatian Littoral and Dalmatia helped found the
Australia fishing industry.
Today in South Australia, a significant portion of the industry is run and
owned by immigrants from Croatia. The best-known fisherman among them
is Dean Lukin, the weightlifting champion who won a gold medal for Australia
at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Croatian grape growers and wine makers, who first arrived here late last
century from Dalmatia, helped found the Australian wine industry. Today that
industry is worth over $ 1 billion in exports annually.
This year a Croatian-Australian, John Kosovich, received an award in the
Order of Australia, for his contribution to the Australian wine industry.
Croatian labourers and tradesmen, who came to Australia from the displaced
persons camps of post-World War Two Europe, battled the isolation and
hardship of the logging camps, mines, rural construction teams and the
Snowy Mountains Electricity Scheme. They helped to build the modern
Australia. Here in Canberra, the work of Croatian-Australian workers and craftsmen is
all around us, including in this Parliament House.
The entire marble work in the National Library of Australia was erected by
Croatian stonemasons from the island of Brac.
And the Embassy which you will be opening tomorrow, Mr President, is a very
tangible sign of this contribution.
Along the way, Croatian-Australians have introduced their love of soccer,
through players such as this year's player of the year, Mark Viduka.
And a number of Croatians are leading players in our own football code,
Australian Rules.
Croatian Australians have also been prominent in the arts.
Earlier this year I visited Berlin, where 1 was very proud to attend a
performance of Wagner's opera, Tristan and Isolde, conducted by a rising
Australian musician of international stature, Simone Young Simone has a
Croatian family background.
So the skill and talents of Croatian Australians have contributed in important
ways to the modern Australia you are visiting, Mr President.
The commitment shown by communities like the Croatian-Australians to
preserve cultural diversity and respect it, helps foster Australia's sense of
nationhood. Croatian-Australians have applied their skills and culture for Australia's
benefit. And they have done this, as Australians must, with their loyalty first
to Australia.
One issue concerns all Australians about the countries emerging from the
former Yugoslavia: the appalling loss of life and suffering taking place there.
Many Australians have been touched by it, not least because this country is
home to several hundred thousand immigrants from the former Yugoslavia,
and to their descendants.
We understand the pain the conflict causes citizens of the Croatian-
Australian community and other communities with links with parts of the
former Yugoslavia.
Despite the suffering and the horrors which have been deeply felt here, it has
been a tribute to Australians of Croatian, Serb and other former Yugoslav
descent that they have not allowed the pressures and tensions of this
appalling conflict to spill over into their own country.
We share in Croatia's happiness in becoming independent.
That was not achieved easily. And as we ourselves know, making changes to
old practices and habits of mind, introducing economic policy changes and
building a prosperous and just multicultural society is not easy.
Independence carries with it responsibilities as well as rights and powers. It
must deliver security in the broadest sense to all the people of the country:
peace, prosperity, respect for the equality and dignity of all citizens
regardless of their ethnicity, religion or language.
The standing of Croatia and the former republics of Yugoslavia, and the
legacies of their leaders, will ultimately be judged by the success of
democracy within their countries, and the contribution they make to building
peace and stability in their immediate region through cooperation with their
neighbours. lIa m sure all those present here -and all Australians -join mein wishing you
well in contributing to these objectives and in our hope that you can use your
position to build peace in the former Yugoslavia.
You have arrived at a time when Australia is enjoying the results of
fundamental changes in our foreign, trade, economic and social policies. I
y hope you will find much that Croatia and its business people will want to
associate with.
Today, Australia is one of the fastest growing of all the industrialised
economies and forecast to remain so throughout this year.
We are a major trading nation, increasingly looking to take an active role in
the Asia-Pacific region, which now accounts for half of the world GDP.
Already three-quarters of our exports go to this region, over 30 percent of
them manufactured exports.
I believe these developments in Australia and our region are significant for
Croatia as well. Australia is a good place from which to do business in the
Asia-Pacific region.
As the world's 13th largest economy, with a sophisticated research capacity
and a deep resource base, Australia has much to offer European countries
such as Croatia. And the Croatian-Australian community is well placed to
contribute to the development of trade between us.
I am sure all Australians will join me in wishing you and your country well in
your endeavours to secure a peaceful, cooperative and prosperous place in
the international community.
Finally, let me assure you that we look forward to building on the many
personal connections which exist between our two countries to create a more
vital and substantial relationship with Croatia.
I wish you and Mi s Tudjfrian well for your vlslt.
I now invite the Leader of the Opposition to join me in welcoming you to
Australia. Ends