Page 3592 - Week 12 - Tuesday, 19 October 1993
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Mr De Domenico: And the Prime Minister might change his mind, like he does on Mabo, daily.
MR CORNWELL: The Prime Minister might change his mind. Most certainly, the Prime Minister will not be here in 2001, and that is a nice comforting feeling which, I am sure, will do a great deal for the confidence of people in Canberra for the future. But there certainly is this arrogant presumption creeping into reports of this nature that we have automatically assumed that we have become a republic.
Mr Berry: Why is that so repugnant to you?
MR CORNWELL: I find it repugnant because I have not been asked. If we are going to live in a democracy, and I hope that we will continue to do so, despite the attempts of the Keating Labor Government - - -
Mr Wood: No-one asked me to live in a monarchy.
MR CORNWELL: If you do not like it you can always move, Mr Wood. Nobody is asking you, or any of your supporters, to stay here. You do not have to stay here; you can go. May I say that I find particularly repugnant - I wish to place this on record too - the attempt by the Prime Minister to inject sectarian issues into this matter; his attempt to divide this nation by making remarks about Roman Catholics. I find that particularly offensive in this whole republican debate. Of course, he did not have the guts to make them in this country, did he? He waited until he was overseas.
Looking through some of these suggestions under the heading "Canberra and its People" - Mr Kaine referred to these before - I see "Creating a learning society". I would have no problem about that. Next is "Creating economic equity"; then "Reconciling Indigenous and Immigrant Australia"; "Looking after our Elders"; "Becoming healthier"; "Removing conflict from our culture". This is, indeed, Madam Speaker, a wish list. This, I think, is the fundamental point of it. The thing about it that disturbs me most is that it fails to recognise human nature in all of its forms, good and bad. Another heading is, "Rites of passage", and I was interested to read this:
Most births are attended by midwives who have cared for the mother throughout her pregnancy.
Our friend, Mr Berry, will overcome the health problems, will he not, by closing down all the hospitals? That will be the way to get rid of all the difficulties that we face. How about "Ending the culture of welfare and of violence"? Oh, that that did happen; but, again, it is not, in my opinion, accepting of realism. What I found a bit strange was "Enjoying our sport" - I thought we did that already - and "Belonging to Canberra". My experience has been that most of the people who live here are very strongly supportive of this city and are against many of the criticisms by people elsewhere.
I fear that some members of this committee probably had to compromise on some of these points. Seeing some names that I recognise, I accept that they are well-meaning people. I am sure that all of them would not have agreed with everything that went into this. I would like to conclude on this point, however. On looking through and seeing all these very commendable recommendations and aspirations and hopes, I do hope that we do not end up living in a terribly boring city.
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