Alan Ferguson (SA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, as you are well aware, I rarely speak on adjournment, but tonight I have been moved to speak because of a series of events that have taken place this week. In particular, I want to say to the Senate that this year is the 40th anniversary of the formal Agreement between the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia and the Government of the Republic of Turkey concerning the Residence and Employment of Turkish Citizens in Australia. The aim is to celebrate and commend the achievements of the Turkish community here in the Commonwealth of Australia that has been created as a result of this agreement in the 40 years since its implementation.

I was most concerned to receive a visit from the Turkish ambassador earlier this week in which he expressed his deep concern about a speech that was made by the Hon. Michael Atkinson, the Attorney-General, Minister for Justice and Minister for Multicultural Affairs in the Labor government in South Australia. I had not thought that I would be surprised by anything that the South Australian Attorney-General said in relation to the Turkish community, particularly as most state parliaments do not have a role in foreign affairs in the same way that the federal parliament does.

I have had the privilege of visiting Gallipoli and being a guest of the Turkish government. I will concede that at the outset. I have had the privilege of going to Gallipoli, where our two countries were once enemies. Since that time, the Commonwealth of Australia and the Republic of Turkey have established a unique relationship and a bond forged in the blood of young men from both our nations. This uniqueness, at the core of the deep-rooted relations between our two countries, gained even more momentum following the unforgettable reconciliatory remarks of the founder of the modern Turkish republic, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, to the mothers of the fallen Anzac soldiers. He said:

You, the mothers who sent their sons from far away countries, wipe away your tears. Your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. After having lost their lives on this land, they have become our sons as well.

There is no statue or plaque more moving than the one at Ari Burnu, on the beach at Gallipoli. The words of Ataturk are there for all Australians and others to read.

So you can imagine how surprised I was to be told this week by the Turkish ambassador that Michael Atkinson, the South Australian Attorney-General, in a speech to the Greek association in South Australia—and the Pontians in particular—made the following statement. I cannot believe that a minister would say this. He made reference to:

The nationalist Turks led by Mustafa Kemal’s forces and their frenzied followers began to persecute them through beatings, murder, forced marches and labour, theft of their properties and livelihood, rape, torture and deportations.

The Turkish ambassador found that most offensive, and a wholly unjustified caricature of the truth. It can only cause deep ill-feeling, not the least since Mustafa Kemal was the leader of a nation that was, at that time, fighting for its survival against an invasion from Greece—a point that the Attorney-General in South Australia seemed to overlook.

We can all try to rewrite history. There were atrocities in the past. We are talking about events that took place almost 100 years ago. There are always debatable issues. We have the situation with the Armenians, with the Pontian Greeks and with a range of other people who currently are trying to put today’s moral judgment on events that took place 100 years ago. These events cannot be accurately depicted. I have no doubt that there were atrocities on both sides. But those of us today find it very difficult to pass judgment—we should not be passing judgment when we do not know the full facts.

The Turkish nation is now a friendly power. Members of the Turkish community have integrated into Australian society and become wonderful Australians. To be reminded of events that took place in history that long ago, and a biased interpretation if I may say so, is certainly not warranted. I acknowledge along with a lot of others the unique relationship that exists between Australia and Turkey—a bond that has been highlighted by the commitment of both our nations to the rights and liberties of our citizens and to the pursuit of a just world, which was highlighted in a statement of Kamel Ataturk: ‘Peace at home; peace in the world.’ I commend the Republic of Turkey’s commitment to democracy, to the rule of law, and—particularly in the region in which it lives—to secularism, which is something that is quite unique in that part of the world.

On this, the 40th anniversary of the formal Agreement between the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia and the Government of the Republic of Turkey concerning the Residence and Employment of Turkish Citizens in Australia, we pledge our friendship with, our commitment to and our enduring support of the people of Turkey as we celebrate this important landmark together.

In relation to the Attorney-General in South Australia—and I am not saying this personally; I am saying it because I think it was a very ill-judged statement to make. It was obviously made in the context of being at a Greek function where it was suitable for him to make these remarks. But such a speech coming from a minister in a state government is very damaging to the otherwise excellent relations between our two countries. I would contrast that with the conciliatory words to the mothers of fallen Anzacs at Gallipoli of the great statesman and founder of the Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. I commend the Senate to take note of the statement that was made by the minister but I also commend to the Senate that in fact we reaffirm our commitment to the wonderful friendship that exists between our two countries. I fully understand the concern expressed by the Turkish ambassador who, as well as being a wonderful representative of his country in Australia over the past three years, I count as a personal friend.