But the ABC, which has existed for nearly seventy years of the century of federation, cannot merely rely on its undoubted achievements of the past. In performing its vital task for the nation it must marshal all its energies and its contemporary professionalism to dynamically meet the needs of the whole population, needs that are both perceived and as yet unrecognised. A cultural institution that seeks only to give the public what it thinks it wants dooms itself ultimately to irrelevance for it must also give the public those things which it didn't know it wanted until they were available and experienced. We must dream the dreams to ensure that we are useful and beneficial in the future. We must be alert to our future competition, both in form and style, both from within the country and especially from beyond.
Scarce resources is a crucial phrase.
It implies the making of judgments, of choices requiring courage and clear sight. The ABC has never had the responsibility of being all things to all people but it has to do, at the highest level, those things which only it can do, to discharge its legislated responsibility and to do so within a framework that makes it attractive and useful to as many people as possible, as often as possible. But its scarce resources should not be as scarce as they are now. These are new days with new challenges and new possibilities to be met by new initiatives needing new funding. The people must not be let down as we were not let down by our ancestors one hundred years ago.