Page 1167 - Week 05 - Wednesday, 24 June 1992
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MR LAMONT: Yes, South Africa does see it, and it is good to see that an organisation as internationally respected as the African National Congress recognises why Australia would like to see the Southern Cross on its flag. They also recognise just how significant it is.
One of the things my own background leads me to is much passion about the last stanza of this poem. I will quote it and there end my address:
But Freedom's on the Wallaby,
She'll knock the tyrants silly,
She's going to light another fire
And boil another billy.
We'll make the tyrants feel the sting
Of those that they would throttle;
They needn't say the fault is ours
If blood should stain the wattle.
MR MOORE (11.42): After Mr Lamont's and Mr Humphries's wonderful renditions, I just have a few questions to raise: Wattle it achieve? Wattle it do? Wattle we debate? Wattle we smell? Wattle make us sneeze? Wattle make a better emblem? Wattle make us happy? Wattle provide a great symbol? Wattle provide the chance to forget our economic woes after nearly 10 years of Labor government? Wattle we come to if members keep reading poetry? Wattle you do, Madam Speaker and members, if I continue for the next 10 minutes in this vein? Wattle 1 September provide as a national floral day that 2 September would not provide? Wattle we do if Gary Humphries actually speaks so often without using his fully allotted time? Wattle we do for people who suffer hay fever from getting too close to wattle trees? Back to the main and most important question of all, wattle we really do to help make people happy?
MS SZUTY (11.44): Madam Speaker, I do not quite know how to follow that, but I will attempt to. I welcome Mrs Grassby's motion in private members' business today. I think it is appropriate for Australia to celebrate the first day of spring as National Wattle Day. I think it is more appropriate on the first day of spring and not the second day of spring, as Mr Moore suggested. It is also appropriate to support our national flower in this way, through the observance of 1 September as National Wattle Day.
MS FOLLETT (Chief Minister and Treasurer) (11.45): I will speak briefly on this matter. I also am grateful to Mrs Grassby for having brought forward the matter and for the indication from all speakers so far that they are in support of it. There is a broader context to this question, and it arose when the Federal Government - in fact, Senator Nick Bolkus, the Minister for Administrative Services - asked for a view from the ACT Government on whether a National Wattle Day should be celebrated on 1 September. He asked this question of all Australian governments.
Mr Kaine: Is this going to be another public holiday?
MS FOLLETT: I will come to that, Mr Kaine. Madam Speaker, I am surprised that so many members have glossed over the fact that it is 1 September, because our closest State, New South Wales, has always celebrated Wattle Day on 1 August. If members know their wattles they will realise that the most common wattle in this region, the Cootamundra wattle, is well and truly finished by 1 September. In looking at an alternative date, we might also have to look at alternative plantings in our region.
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