THE DISADVANTAGED ARE A NATIONAL PROBLEM

4 October 1996

The Governor General Sir William Deane said tonight that the collective plight of the disadvantaged was undoubtedly the most important problem facing a nation. In a true compassionate democracy such as Australia, it was a problem which must be addressed by government. But it also had to be faced by us all.

Sir William was speaking at the Annual Dinner of the NSW Racehorse Owner's Association, during which funds were raised for the Matthew Talbot Hostel for homeless men, conducted by the St. Vincent de Paul Society in Sydney. In his speech, Sir William said:

"In the seven months since I became Governor General, my wife Helen and I have visited a vast number of institutions and agencies serving the disadvantaged in all parts of a country - from Darwin and elsewhere in the top end to Launceston and Hobart, from Perth and Adelaide to Sydney and Brisbane. We have been overwhelmed by the extent of the problem.

"There are the unemployed, particularly young unemployed; the Aborigines; the direct and indirect victims of drugs; the seriously sick and physically impaired; the infants subjected to sexual and other abuse; the aged infirm; the mentally disturbed; the direct and indirect victims of gambling; the sole parents in need; those who, even in a multi-cultural Australia, are subjected to racial discrimination and intolerance; those seeking rehabilitation after involvement in crime or imprisonment; the isolated and the acutely lonely - to name some obvious categories.

"Our observations have left us in no doubt that any generalisation that those generally falling within any of those categories are over-provided for by government or are not in real need is uninformed nonsense. They all cry out for assistance by government instrumentalities, non-government agencies and private individuals."

"Often, the end of the road or the ultimate despair for each of these categories is the desolation of homelessness. It is that desolation, which is a tragedy of national dimensions, which the Matthew Talbot Hostel addresses. I sincerely congratulate you, the racehorse owners of New South Wales, for the support which you have given its work in the past and for your continuing support through tonight's dinner. Racing people always been renowned for their generosity to those in need. The support of the Matthew Talbot Hostel is a shining example not only to racing people everywhere but to our whole community. "