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AUSTRALIA DAY: MESSAGE FROM HE DR BRENDAN NELSON, AMBASSADOR OF AUSTRALIA
‘Australians all let us rejoice, for we are young and free’.
The first line of our nation’s anthem says it so well. And on this – Australia Day, we celebrate that we are free and confident heirs to that given us by generations of Australians.
Two hundred and twenty three years ago today, Captain Arthur Philip sailed his small fleet of eleven ships carrying 1600 people into Sydney Harbour. Against the instructions of his superiors who had ordered him to settle at Botany Bay, he arrived at Sydney Cove, raised the Union Jack and set about establishing the first colony.
More than half those who arrived were convicts, victims of a harsh, English 18th century penal system.
Their arrival proved to be devastating to the indigenous, Aboriginal population who had lived there for more than 50,000 years.
From these humble origins and against adversity impossible for us to contemplate from the comfortable distance of the 21st century, they laid the foundations for modern Australia.
Through the following two centuries we have faced fire, floods, drought, economic disasters, built major infrastructure, contributed to peace making and peace keeping, made bloody sacrifices in wars, and excelled in science, business and in sport.
We have, over the space of two generations welcomed almost seven million to our country as new citizens, proudly building a modern, stable Australia from nations all over the world. In doing so, we celebrate our diversity of origin, but unity of purpose and belief.
As the recent devastation of the floods has shown, in the end our defining characteristic is to support one another. We call it ‘mateship’, placing the interests of others ahead of our own and giving a hand to those in need.
Our Australia is a modern, outward looking, competitive and compassionate country.
We have much to celebrate and of which we can be proud Australians. We are young and we are free.
Brendan Nelson