Kim Beazley On Labor Values

In the course of a Centenary of Federation interview with the ABC’s Kerry O’Brien, Opposition Leader Kim Beazley has discussed Labor values.

Beazley commented on the 100-year history of the ALP and what the party stands for today.

Today is the anniversary of the opening of the first Commonwealth parliament in Melbourne’s Exhibition Building.

Transcript of Kim Beazley interview with 7.30 Report host Kerry O’Brien.

Kim Beazley, Leader of the OppositionKERRY O’BRIEN: To address some of those observations in Fran Kelly’s story, I spoke late today with Labor leader Kim Beazley in Melbourne.

Kim Beazley, Labor has travelled a long way in 100 years, a long way from its sometimes radical working-class roots, hasn’t it?

KIM BEAZLEY: Yeah, we’ve changed.

I would argue that though some of the policies have altered quite dramatically over the years, the fundamental egalitarian values remain.

They always remain relevant.

They just have different meaning at different points in our history. [Read more…]


Australian Parliament’s Centenary Celebrated; Howard Praises Curtin & Menzies; Beazley Calls For Republic

The celebration of the centenary of Australia’s national Parliament has been held in Melbourne.

Roberts

The 7500 guests at the Exhibition Building heard speeches from the President of the Senate, Margaret Reynolds, who claimed the arrival of women in Parliament as the greatest change in Australia’s political climate over the past 100 years. [Read more…]


Kim Beazley’s Speech to the Centenary of Federation Joint Sitting of Parliament

The Leader of the Opposition, Kim Beazley, has addressed the Commemorative Meeting of the Australian Parliament in the Exhibition Building, in Melbourne.

A joint sitting of the two houses of Parliament met one hundred years to the day since the first Commonwealth Parliament met in 1901.

Text of speech by Kim Beazley, Leader of the Federal Opposition, to the Commemorative Meeting of the Australian Parliament.

BeazleyI would like to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which we stand, the Wurundjeri people, and pay respect to their elders and any other elders here today.

Sir William and Lady Deane, Prime Minister and Mrs Howard, parliamentary colleagues, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen.

On the first of January in Sydney, we celebrated the birth of our nation.

Today in Melbourne, we celebrate the birth of our nation’s democracy. [Read more…]


John Howard’s Speech to the Ceremonial Federation Sitting

The Prime Minister, John Howard, has addressed the ceremonial Federation sitting of the Commonwealth Parliament, in the Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne.

The sitting took place 100 years to the day since the first Commonwealth Parliament met. The Prime Minister on that day was Edmund Barton.

  • Listen to Howard’s speech (5m)

Text of Prime Minister John Howard address to the Ceremonial Federation Sitting.

HowardAs Edmund Barton and Alfred Deakin and all the others gathered here a hundred years ago there was no way that they could predict what lay in front of Australia. They would not have foreseen that within fewer than 20 years 60,000 out of a male population of 2.5 million would die in a horrible war. They would not have foreseen the Great Depression. They would not have foreseen the social changes. They would not have seen the determination of later generations to overturn the White Australia policy, regarded by those generations as morally repugnant. They would not have foreseen the technological and fashion changes that were to occur. And indeed if they were to return to our gathering today they would find much that was unfamiliar. [Read more…]