Homeland - An Act of Clemency

14 October 2004

Launch of Homeland: Music for A Just Australia

Sydney Opera House, Thursday 14 October 2004

We are here today at the Opera House, an icon that helps define Australia to the world.

As once did the Australian sense of the fair go, and our innate spirit of generosity.

But we are also defined to the world when we go against our character as a nation, when we adopt policies and practices that go against the grain; against our strong record as a tolerant people. When we turn our backs on some of the world's most vulnerable, whose only "crime" is to seek safety on our shores.

The Tampa incident of 2001 not just stamped the themes and emotions of that election. It stained Australia.
The razor wire at Woomera became an icon of Australia, like the sails of this great building.

Last weekend's election, Australians voted for continuing prosperity. They were not convinced that they could have prosperity with fairness. They did not vote to cleanse the stain, but nor did they vote to darken it.

Fear of refugees was not, thanks to some hard work in the last three years, a feature of this election campaign. On the contrary, 345 candidates signed our "refugee guarantee" to work to overcome the problems. As did a core group in every electorate. On election day, across the country, Government campaign workers walked away from voters raising the refugee issue - they had no answers.

The next Parliament will have what we consider to be many A-Grade Members on this issue, in every Party - who are committed to change. Our Grades were used by some candidates to win or hold their seats.

Next month the Government returns to Parliament, with a strong mandate to deliver us a prosperous future. We will be calling on them to clear the decks for the boat people of 2001 - to start with an act of clemency so we can move on as a nation.

This week there are 72 children detained in immigration facilities in Australia and Nauru. 82 people completing their third year on Nauru. Over two hundred detained for three years now - with no-where else to go safely. Around 7000 proven refugees who still have no security in Australia with temporary visas, kids who still don't know whether they can stay four years on - whether it's finally safe to make friends without the risk of losing them.

A little clemency and common sense will save these people continuing misery, save the rest of us millions of dollars and help remove a key issue of division. And there is no downside. Just a simple process - after all this time, if there's no security threat, let these individuals stay. Let them start to heal; let us all start to heal.

For many, it will show whether John Howard can be a great Prime Minister, or just a clever Prime Minister, just a long-serving Prime Minister.

The CD launch today reflects the true sprit of Australians - the generosity within our hearts.

The artists on this album all leapt at the chance to commit their energy, passion and creativity to a project which says loudly to the world, we are a just people.

This is music for our hearts, for a better way, for clemency in our homeland - music for a just Australia.

Howard Glenn, National Director, A Just Australia