Nelson Mandela visit to Parliament House, 23 October 1990

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, Prime Minister Nelson Mandela, Excellencies

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ary colleagues, Ladies and gentlemen Nelson, we welcome you here today not simply as a distinguished

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or to our country, but we welcome you as a modern hero whose struggle and personal achievements have been admired by many Australians we salute you for your commitment to the fight against apartheid, for your suffering in the service of that cause of moral authority that has not only survived but has grown thanks to your ideals and by your example of courage and strength that is showing the way for your people and all the people of South Africa towards the exciting and certainly dangerous transition from apartheid to a non-racial democracy in prison you were a powerful symbol of the struggle to free South Africa from apartheid during For 27 years you carried the heavy burden of prison, now you carry a greater burden of responsibility, you have become not only the symbol, but also the leader of your great cause, your task is to lay the foundations of a South Africa that, on the ashes of apartheid, build a democracy, fair, stable, prosperous and not. racial society and no one believes that will be easy, but no one here can doubt his suitability for the task, because what is truly inspiring is not that he bravely faced imprisonment for 27 long years, significant as that is, of course, but that he has now put Gone are those bitter years to sit at the negotiating table with his former jailers and plan with them the future of a democratic and non-racial South Africa, that is why we welcome Nelson Mandela to Australia, with respect for what that he has suffered and achieved. in the past and with the hope of the work that lies ahead of you and your great struggle, the iniquity of a system that determines political, social and human rights according to the color of a person's skin is deeply offensive in a country like ours. we are perfect but the concept of equality for all is an Australian ideal the iniquity of institutionalized apartheid censorship repression the denial of economic opportunities that have characterized South Africa are deeply offensive in a country like ours where democratic government freedom of expression and The freedom of speech movement are so familiar that they are sometimes taken for granted so that ordinary Australians understand and sympathize with their struggle, recognize the fundamental evil of the apartheid system and the moral bankruptcy of successive South African governments that once ruled it. witnessed recognize the absolute justice of your crusade against that system and I also understand that an evil system like apartheid cannot prevail against the good will and good sense of many determined people who demand its end and among those determined people you, Nelson Mandela, occupies a truly preeminent position. proud as an Australian and as a leader of a free country to count myself and my country among those who have stood with you through these difficult years.

Of course, we have not been able to say goodbye to share in their sacrifice of imprisonment, but we have shared in their goal of working not to destroy South Africa but to rebuild it for ourselves as a member of the Commonwealth, as a member of the Western alliance and as a nation that is proud to establish standards for responsible international conduct. our duty to be closely involved in the struggle. against apartheid was very clear as early as 1983 my government started a scholarship program to educate and train disadvantaged black South Africans now we have a 17 million people humanitarian scheme that provides education, training and development assistance to black South Africans was this government which, within the framework of Commonwealth Pressure, was proposed by the group of eminent people who developed a negotiating concept close to the one now being implemented by the ANC and the South African government, but it became clear to us that tough sanctions were also needed.

Australia, in concert with the Commonwealth and with other nations, made these difficult decisions we took them early we took them resolutely and we implemented them widely let me list them in this hearing aviation services between Australia and South Africa trade prohibited import of agricultural products oil uranium coal iron and strips steel government procurement in South Africa sporting contacts banned all South African teams Australian ban on all persons representing South Africa banned from competing in Australia in the field of investment new investment or reinvestment of profits and all government assistance to investment and trade with South Africa o ban import and export of all military weapons and ammunition services banned Australian consular services in South Africa withdrawn promotion of tourism to South Africa ban government contracts with South African companies band finally financial links new loans from Australian financial institutions to South Africa detained Australia led Commonwealth and, through it, the international financial system in the face of the enormous economic inefficiencies of apartheid, Australia has not limited itself to applying these measures, we have been among the main defenders of them in the international community and we have been leaders in their acceptance and application international.

We have taken this path in full knowledge that there would be tangible costs to the Australian economy. We have borne these costs and the insults of those who oppose us because of our prevailing belief in the effectiveness of sanctions as a means of eliminating the international scourge of apartheid it is important that in this

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ary forum I point out that Australia's abhorrence of apartheid has not been the exclusive domain of this Labor government, the depth of Malcolm Fraser's commitment attests to that, but it must equally be understood that since we have been in government we have been unique among the main parties in our commitment to sanctions as a means of translating that abhorrence into effective action and that belief, with some notable exceptions of course, is almost universally shared by you, Nelson Mandela, by the African National Congress, by the United Nations and, ladies and gentlemen, perhaps most surprising of all, by the South Africa's own government, we apply sanctions with full knowledge that they have adverse effects within South Africa, but we do not do so. out of spite or malice, but as part of a series of carefully designed measures to influence the South African government to recognize that its own interest lies in apartheid reform;

In short, we impose our sanctions, as we have so often reiterated, so as not to bring South Africa to its knees, but to bring it to its senses we recognize the unnecessary pain that sanctions will cause if they are applied for too long. Sanctions must be lifted neither a moment too soon nor a moment too late, and following my conversations with Nelson, I am pleased to have the benefit of his wisdom and foresight, as well as that of the Commonwealth and other international leaders, in making our decision. on the appropriate time to lift sanctions. We have seen measures by the South African government that provide real Hope – substantial changes are being made in the last year.

Events have advanced significantly and sometimes with remarkable rapidity; So far, the South African government is only halfway there and it is a long and difficult journey that many in the South have to travel. Africa would divert them from that path, but since powers are emerging in the corridors of power in Pretoria, with his advice and with his persuasion, President de Klerk has put South Africa on the path of reform, we easily recognize and admire the changes that President de Klerk has provoked, as in fact I communicated to you in writing a year ago Nelson, you were still captive in the same way that the South African government was captive of the immemorial aaja Cala t of apartheid a year ago the i NC was banned Its members are as scattered as hopes for a non-racial South Africa were a year ago, the prospect of full negotiations on a new constitution was as remote as ANC members exiled from their South African homes were today, much has changed and if you and the IMC persists in its cause with President De Klerk and the international community.

If you keep up the pressure and exercise courage and wisdom, in the next year or two we will see a new constitution in South Africa. This is an exciting but also daunting prospect. one: great expectations have been raised among its people that the new South Africa will bring immediate prosperity and happiness there are dreams to fulfill but as all dreams are difficult to realize it is healthy to remember that the euphoria of gaining power often fades followed quickly by the understanding that the realities of government can be harsh and that you will need to show leadership and advise your people on what they can expect in the new South Africa you are coming to.

South Africa will happily have a democratic and non-racial society. Constitution, but it will carry with it the bitter legacy of in nuances, which are a characteristic of the apartheid system. The recent violence in the townships is terrifying and tragic, more than that it is evidence of the continuing conflicts that will need to be addressed. South Africa will have a peaceful future. You come. South Africa will have great wealth like our country. South Africa is blessed with mineral and agricultural wealth, but its new leadership will have to make difficult decisions. You are now long-term committed to a more just life.

The distribution of the country's wealth and opportunity remains valid, but the concepts that were formulated in the days when command economies presented some attractions to those oppressed by a seemingly indifferent capitalism require revision, since those same command economies are being discarded as incapable of meeting the needs of a free people its new leadership will need to balance the undoubted need for more equitable distribution with the imperative of maintaining a market system that encourages economic growth its new South Africa will be influential with freedom will come the international respect and will influence South Africa's economic strength its Its strategic importance and history will ensure that it occupies a prominent place in African councils;

However, this influence will come with great responsibilities. The diversity of Africa, its many conflicts, its poverty and its famine in a continent that has the intrinsic capacity to be a net exporter of food. All this. brings great challenges for those who assume its leadership overcome decades a new South Africa freed from the chains of its racist past we will also begin again begin again harmonious and profitable relations with other nations, including Australia there will be opportunities for South Africa and Australia to work together for a better and more harmonious international community Nelson, the precepts you laid down three decades ago for a new South Africa three decades ago would be ohms worthy of this international community, let me close by using some of your words as relevant now as they were when you spoke them at your trial in 1964 and this is what Nelson Mandela said then I have fought against black domination and I have fought against white domination I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all people live together in harmony and with equal opportunities is an ideal for which I hope to live and achieve and Nelson went on to say that it was an ideal for which he was prepared to die, it is for lasting relief and it is for the joy of all Australians, indeed, of humanity itself, that They did not have to pay that price, if those of us who help shape the world in the next decade can apply their standards of courage and wisdom and their capacity for reconciliation, this will be an ideal for which no one else will have to die Nelson Mandela, we welcome and honor you for the magnitude of your sacrifice over 27 years, for the forward-thinking leadership you have exercised since your release, and for the immensity of the task that lies before you and your Fellow South Africans, Nelson Mandela, you are thrice welcome and we are thrice honored to welcome you.

Please be assured of our pride in having been with you in your darkest hours and also of our commitment to be with you when you see the dawn and the dawn. Work now as you move safely towards our common goal: a democratic and non-racial South Africa, that will come and hopefully it will come soon. Ask Dr. Harrison to support me Prime Minister and Mrs. falcon mr. Excellencies Mandela, my parliamentary colleagues, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, it is a great pleasure for me to join the Prime Minister today in extending a very warm welcome to Australia on behalf of the Federal Opposition, forty-two years ago.

Alan Payton's famous novel. he shouted: The beloved country did much to alert the world to the racial inequalities that dominated life in South Africa In the years since, the world has come to know more about the ugliness and tragic consequences of those inequalities. Mandela, the story of his life, of his campaign against the evil of apartheid, of his long years of isolation and imprisonment and of his release inFebruary of this year, has captured the world's imagination as South Africa enters a new era in its history, in the words of Robert Kennedy, Sir, some men see things as they are and ask why, but you dream of things that never were and they ask why not.

It is to you that millions in South Africa and around the world now look to for inspiration, hope and leadership, the Federal Opposition, therefore. joins the Prime Minister and the wider Australian community in expressing our admiration for his bravery and strength over many years and in wishing him well in the demanding responsibilities he now undertakes, mr. Mandela, you are a welcome guest in our country. The opposition parties in this country were founded on the belief that the economic, social and political rights of people must be defended regardless of their race, nationality, religion or beliefs throughout its history.

Our parties have remained committed to these fundamental principles and our commitment today is stronger than ever; That is why our rejection of apartheid is an absurd injustice that follows directly from our central point of equal rights for all individuals, that is why our condemnation of apartheid is unequivocal and enduring. Any system of government that denies people their basic human rights because of the color of their skin is abhorrent and deeply unjust, let me assure you. you mr. Mandela that this view of apartheid is not a point of contention between Australia's main political parties the central focus of federal opposition policy in southern Africa is not a debate about whether apartheid should be eradicated but how it can be eradicated the foundation of Equality for all South African people We believe that the only way forward in South Africa is through genuine and continuous dialogue between the South African government leaders of the black community and our representatives of other groups in South Africa committed to seeking of a political solution.

The path of violent confrontation will not produce winners and will only generate a cycle of greater violence. Your commitment, Sir, to our process of genuine negotiations aimed at achieving political and social change in South Africa is a historic demonstration of positive leadership and is warmly welcomed by the opposition parties. to Australia as a person who will play a vitally important role in the new South Africa that is emerging and as a person with whom we share a common commitment to the basic human rights of all South Africans, we do not, of course, agree on every aspect.

How change can be most effectively encouraged in South Africa and, in particular, how the international community should be involved, these are issues on which honest men and women around the world have genuine differences and that is the case because no government or personal organization has a monopoly on wisdom and compassion on these issues. One of the great challenges of the

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s for South Africans and for the international community at large is how to respond to the accelerating pace of change in South Africa, just as In 1989 the great walls of intolerance were raised and the ideological divide in Europe was torn down, so we are now seeing dramatic changes in South Africa.

In Europe, communism is in terminal decline due to its internal inconsistencies and its failure as an effective means of governing in the interests of the common people the very process of disintegration. is now affecting apartheid in South Africa apartheid, of course, has not disappeared nor has genuine democracy yet been achieved, but the changes that President de Klerk has implemented have been bold, far-reaching and courageous. The African National Congress and other representative groups have also shown courage. commitment to a peaceful and genuinely multicultural future for South Africa through initiatives such as the suspension of armed struggle. In doing so, the ANC in particular has played a vitally important role in helping to build a climate for negotiations and a basis for much broader constructive change.

There is still work to be done: the South African government needs to democratize political power and eliminate remaining racist laws. If that is achieved, all groups calling for change in South Africa will have to commit to democratic politics in all of this; However, it is necessary to have a clear idea. balanced view of where South Africa is coming from and where it needs to go the prospects for constructive change have never been more promising but it also carries real dangers expectations are ahead of negotiations rhetoric is obscuring some real political differences violence continues tomorrow lives of the ordinary people and time is on no one's side in our opinion President de Klerk's pragmatism represents the best prospect for achieving real political and social change in South Africa we believe that, as with President Gorbachev in the Soviet Union, the The international community should give President de Klerk practical encouragement to go further, among other things to strengthen his position against extremists within his own country.

The future of South Africa will, of course, be determined by South Africans themselves, but as in the past, processes of change can be influenced. by the international community, the Commonwealth in particular has a role to play in that regard. For more than a decade the Commonwealth has been at the forefront of the debate over sanctions against South Africa, but the pace and direction of change in South Africa now presents Organizations like the Commonwealth face a different challenge: the challenge of encouraging the reform process that has begun and of helping to build a new post-apartheid South Africa.

It would seem timely, for example, for the Commonwealth to send a second group of eminent persons to South Africa to evaluate To assess first-hand the social, political and economic impact of the reforms implemented in recent months, the new EPG could also report to the Chiefs of Commonwealth Government on an appropriate future mix of Commonwealth incentives and disincentives to encourage further peaceful democratic reforms in South Africa. New challenges demand new solutions, as in Europe, so also in South Africa, the times demand creative proposals and courage not to be limited by the habits of the past. The great American civil rights advocate, Martin Luther King, once said that the supreme measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands in moments of challenge and controversy, such as other moments South Africa faces. now when facing that challenge and that controversy.

Honest men and women inside and outside South Africa will clearly express their positions, sir. Mandela, through your words and actions, you have set out a clear vision for a democratic and non-racial South Africa. By doing so with courage, consistency of purpose, and a strong sense of vision, you have earned the faith and trust of millions of people. You are now one of the leaders in what we all hope will be a new era for South Africa, an era in which, in Allen Payton's phrase, it will once again become a beloved country; That is why your

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to Australia, mr.

Mandela is an important person for all of us, which is why we also assure him of our best wishes and our warm welcome Bob, the leader of the opposition, distinguished guests and ladies and gentlemen, very nice things have been said about me today, but I think it is appropriate. To put these observations in context by telling you a little story, a water approached me in prison and said we have received a letter addressed to you but the content is such that we cannot give it to you, I told him if it is my letter, then you have to give it to me for brevity. the story, they finally gave me the letter at the right time, among the things he said, I found out that you rejected the state president's offer to be released, you also rejected his offer that you should be released with transcoding what right do you have to reject an offer made by the state president?

I know why it's because you grew up with Milly pop and now you're having a great time in prison. being fed in the morning at lunch and at dinner you were born careful you will die careful now for those who might assume that these were the results of a white person are mistaken because these remotes were spoken by a black man who brought me to mother earth and he had a little idea about my background and where I came from and the other story. I would urge members of my delegation to close their ears because I have told this story several times.

I'm not a young girl in the body and I became very friendly with her she was a potato as you know young girls can be brutal criminals we were talking there one day and she said to me do you know what the kids at my school think of you? you said no she says they say that when you were young you were handsome but now you are old and ugly and ladies and gentlemen if I choose a show a little nervous you should know that now there is none Bob, we have come here to thank the government and to the people of Australia for your estimable efforts, your investable support for our organization, the African National Congress and the fighting people of South Africa continues to be a source of strength and inspiration for us without your contribution to the international movement against apartheid we would not have come so close to the achievement of a non-racial, democratic, united and unsatisfied South Africa, in particular, we record with deep recognition its unwavering position regarding sanctions against South Africa, its role in the Commonwealth and The United Nations is a further demonstration of its unequivocal and principled position on the side of those who respect the universal values ​​of equality, freedom, justice and peace for all.

Without a doubt, the effect of economic sanctions has played an important role in pressuring the apartheid government in the direction of a peaceful and negotiated solution for the South African country. Prime Minister, we have reached a critical stage in the process initiated by the African National Congress, the effect is that the African National Congress remains unbanned, we have suspended the armed struggle, political prisoners are being released, the state of emergency is lifted and political exiles are returning to In addition, the government has made declarations of intent to repeal racist laws such as the Land Group Areas Act and the Separation from Our Threats Act.

It has been repealed, but the tenants of the apartheid government, such as the Land Population Registration Act, which denies the equality of human beings remains on the statute book, in our view the agent question remains. that of developing a constitution that guarantees the fundamental rights of one person, one vote, which is why we have committed to persist and spare no effort to mobilize all South Africans towards this goal. We are optimistic that by maintaining economic sanctions we will accelerate the achievement of freedom for South Africans who have the goal and fought for so long and sacrificed so much.

I'd like to digress a little and be fair. The so-called black on black violence, we are convinced that this violence is orchestrated by the fanatical right within the security forces of the South African government, is an attempt to weaken the African National Congress and derail the peace process, which is the logic of racist domination. white that those who have enjoyed the ill-gotten privileges of apartheid should seek to retain them, it would be a pass for us to ignore your consistent and significant contribution to the cultural and sporting boycott, specifically you have championed and implemented the Glen Eagles agreement and sports effectively isolated.

This campaign must be maintained within South Africa, especially in rugby, cricket, tennis, football and athletics. Great strides have been made toward establishing non-racial sports organizations; However, the legacy of apartheid remains and its evidence by the lack of training physical facilities and equipment as well as other resources in this regard, we must begin to face the challenge of reconstruction and development, in this way the news from Africa also can start on the right foot, conception and development precede the birth of a new entity, we must nurture the future so that it can emerge as a whole and with possibilities of maturation, that is why we ask you to recognize non-racial sports organizations and systems As far as possible, in the same way this principle is applied in the area of ​​education, technology management, health and culture.

The repatriation and resettlement of political prisoners and exiles is an issue that requires urgent attention and thanks to the Australian Government for the contribution made so far. The power organization that has been relentlessly harassed and persecuted for thirty years is now expected to compete with the ruling national party on equal terms they control the government they control the government the major media and have access to enormous resources we are forced to ask whether it is fair to expect us to compete with them is it fair to expect us to compete with them inIncreasingly equal playing field We are witnessing the ancient phenomenon of transferring blame to the victim of violence.

Homelessness, unemployment, illness, hunger, poverty and even the apartheid economy itself. However, it is true that any future government in South Africa will face the problem of solving these social problems on which we depend. your help in helping us achieve equality not only in our country but in the community of nations universally. I thank you for your attention and take this opportunity to record my debt to you and to lovers of freedom around the world for being able to stand here before you today. My liberation is the result of the determined struggle of my people and their solidarity with that struggle.

It is my most ardent hope that the people of South Africa will soon achieve the goal for which we were prepared to die. Thank you ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen. are standing, please raise your glasses and join me in a toast. The toast is to Nelson Mandela and the new democratic and non-racial South Africa Nelson Mandela South Africa. May I respond by wishing the Prime Minister the government of him and the entire population of Australia and good luck in his efforts to help promote the party's struggle in South Africa. Thank you.