On race issues we have also made the long journey from our initial determination to keep out foreign workers. Gough Whitlam put the final nail in the coffin of the White Australia Policy in the 1970s - he was certainly the first government leader in this country to proclaim to the world that we would be an open, tolerant nation. I am proud that my father put Aboriginal land rights on our political agenda way back in 1951, and the ALP has been to the forefront of move to achieve just solutions on Aboriginal issues ever since. We believe that we must lead on core questions about the nature of our society, and to improve the future for our children. But we must also listen to the people.
Good governments steer a steady course between leadership and consultation.
Remaining engaged with the concerns of the broader Australian community is not just good politics - it will mean good policy. It is here that Caucus becomes a crucial force. Without a continuous process of feedback from backbench government members close to their communities, national government grows isolated. And this is where the Labor Caucus plays such a valuable role - a role unmatched in any other political party. As we begin on our week of exploring our past I want to remind you all again of those words of Ben Chifley as Prime Minister of Australia on 12 June 1949.