So it s unwise to generalise too much about non-metropolitan Australia. But it s very wise to understand that although generically, the country is doing very well economically, not all of our citizens are enjoying that prosperity to the same extent. And it s beholden on the government, and all of my colleagues and I are very conscious of this, and it s also beholden on the rest of the community to understand that. Because one of the things about the Australian fair go, is to make certain that the benefits of economic strength and economic prosperity are to be shared fairly and equally as far as that is possible within the Australian community. But my friends tonight is a night for people to legitimately feel good about themselves and to feel good about their community.
Tonight is an occasion to celebrate excellence and success.
It s a night to recognise the capacity of a local community to pull together. And the thing that strikes me about tonight above everything else is the tremendous sense of community pride that people have. That you ve been able to show yourselves and to show your community and to show Australia and in many cases other parts of the world just how successful this regional part of Australia can be. And can I pay tribute to the sponsors, both the principal sponsors and the others, the bank and Rural Press, two great organisations, both of which are making a very significant contribution in their different ways to regional Australia. One providing a new way of marshalling the savings and the capital effort of people in rural Australia, another providing an absolutely indispensable, high quality communications network for the people of non metropolitan Australia.