Daryl Melham (Banks, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Since its establishment in 2000 by the University of Western Sydney, I have been honoured to attend a number of functions at the Whitlam Institute. It is housed in the historically significant Parramatta Female Orphan School on the Parramatta campus of the university. The Whitlam Institute is guided by the three great aims that drove the agenda of the Whitlam government in 1972, as well as recording the historical legacy of Gough Whitlam's years in public life. Those aims are: to promote equality, to involve the people of Australia in the decision-making processes of our land and to liberate the talents and uplift the horizons of the Australian people. It exists for those Australians who care about what matters in a fair Australia. It bridges Mr Whitlam's public legacy and the contemporary relevance of his program to public policy. I have previously noted in this place a contribution of the Whitlam government and of Gough himself to the advancement of greater Western Sydney, including the establishment of the university itself. It is only appropriate that the institute house Mr Whitlam's records and papers from his private collection in addition to its other scholarly activities.

The Whitlam Institute works as an educator, policy influencer and research institute, amongst its many activities. The institute has, over the past five years, conducted the 'What matters?' Competition for students in years 5 to 12 across the ACT and New South Wales. Students write between 500 and 600 words to share their thoughts on what matters to them. Since its inception in 2007, the number of entries has risen from a few hundred to a few thousand. Every entry is read and every student who contributes is acknowledged through a certificate. The 2010 competition saw essays on a range of subjects, such as global unity, poverty, the death of a sibling, the palm oil industry and honour killings.

This year saw the successful inaugural Gough Whitlam Oration given by the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, on 'Walking the reform road'. There are regular exhibitions, such as the lauded 'Mrs Prime Minister' and the upcoming 'Shell-shocked Australia', in conjunction with the National Archives and the Department of Veterans' Affairs. Another tradition has developed with the celebration of Gough's birthday on 11 July each year; his 95th birthday is next month. All this is in addition to its research program. In a relatively short few years, the professionalism and contribution of the Whitlam Institute has continued to grow.

I wish to pay particular tribute to the Director of the Whitlam Institute, Mr Eric Sidoti. Throughout his long career and prior to his appointment, Eric was engaged in a range of activities across many policy areas, including education and training, employment, human rights, development, Indigenous land rights and education, humanitarian law and conflict and welfare issues. Apart from his own consultancy business, he was previously involved in a leadership capacity at the Human Rights Council of Australia, Amnesty International Australia and the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace.

In 2002, Eric addressed the annual general meeting of the Professional Teachers Council, where he introduced the value set that has underpinned his contribution to public policy with reference to Harper Lee's book To Kill a Mockingbird. He said:

Harper Lee's work spoke to me at least about our shared humanity, the way we relate, about respect and justice. She spoke to me about the destructive powers of ignorance, and prejudice.

To Kill a Mockingbird has been a constant reminder to me that the human is the essential determinant of rights.

I applaud Eric's work as the Director of the Whitlam Institute. I congratulate the institute, for its commitment to the legacy of a great man and the future of public policy debate in this country.

In his policy speech on 13 November 1972, Gough Whitlam had this to say:

We want to give a new life and a new meaning in this new nation to the touchstone of modern democracy—to liberty, equality, fraternity.

Professor Janice Reid, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Western Sydney, had this to say:

Gough has always argued that the people of Australia should be heard and involved in the decisions governments make. How fitting then that the opportunity to speak up and be heard offered by this What Matters? competition is being so enthusiastically embraced by so many young people.

I commend the Whitlam Institute on its work.