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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 12 Hansard (19 November) . . Page.. 3821 ..

MR OSBORNE (continuing):

their house and a car pulled up and two ladies got out and gave them some lollies. They both went in the car. They said, "Come along with us and we will get some more lollies". So they went in the car and both he and his sister next saw their parents two years later.

Ms McRae: They were lucky.

MR OSBORNE: They were very lucky, Ms McRae. It really moved me because I have young children of that age. I turned to my wife, who was with me, and I said, "Could you imagine if someone did that to us; just took our kids without telling us and we did not see them for years and years?". Mr Speaker, to say that Aboriginal people have not done it tough, I think, is ignorant.

Skin colour and ethnic origin is an important feature in a person's life; but, as far as I am concerned, what is of far greater consequence is how they conduct their lives. My best friend is Indian. He was the best man at my wedding. He is the godfather of my son and I trust him implicitly. I love him dearly. I grew up in the inner west of Sydney and from about the age of 10 to the age of 15 I spent just about every day with my best friend at the time and his family. He was Lebanese. One of my dear friends from school who is still a friend of mine today is a fellow by the name of Jimmy Chong, who is Korean. Mr Speaker, as I said, the fact that someone is from a different country or speaks a different language means nothing. Today in Tasmania a white Caucasian Australian person is before the court for committing probably Australia's worst ever massacre. He is not from another country. He is one of us.

Mr Speaker, it is very sad that this debate has turned into what it has. I choose to believe that, as human beings, we all have an inherently equal value. I think that the misguided thinking that has gone on in the last few weeks is terribly damaging to this nation. As I said earlier, I think it is sad that we in this Assembly are not even able to stand up as one and be united on one issue. It is sad that we have had to have a political debate over something that requires uniform and bipartisan support. I was talking to my colleague Mr Moore a little earlier. One thing that has really upset me about this whole issue is not the fact that it has come up - I think things need to be discussed - but the number of people who have come out in favour of some of the things that have been said. It makes me sick in the stomach. It is a terrible blight on us as a nation to have such a big number of people supporting Pauline Hanson and her views.

Mr Speaker, I said I would be brief. I do not judge people because of their colour. I do not judge people because of what they eat. I do not judge people because of the way they look. You only need to look at my colleague here beside me whom I accept as a human being.

Mr Moore: Sort of.

MR OSBORNE: Sort of. Mr Speaker, on 28 March 1963 a man stood up and proclaimed to the world that he had a dream. The dream was that his four young children would one day be able to live in their nation and not be judged by the colour of their skin but rather by their character. I have a dream as well. I have a dream that my four children will grow up in a nation that is consistent with the dream of Martin Luther King.

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