STATEMENT BY OFFICIAL SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL ON GOVERNOR-GENERAL'S ROLE IN RECONCILIATION CEREMONY

27 April 2000

Further to this morning's story in the Sydney Morning Herald on the ceremony to be held on 27 May:

The Governor-General has accepted an invitation to participate in the ceremony on 27th May at which it is planned that the proposed document of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation will be launched.

The Governor-General has not seen the proposed document which he understands is still to be finalised. Nor, to the best of his knowledge, has it ever been suggested that the Governor-General would purport to agree to the contents of the proposed document either on behalf of himself or the people of Australia.

The Governor-General is surprised to note that the suggestion has been made that his participation in the ceremony would preclude or affect the Prime Minister's role in the ceremony.

The Governor-General has already sought the advice of the government in relation to some aspects of his participation in the ceremony. In the circumstances, the Governor-General is seeking the advice of the Prime Minister generally in relation to the ceremony.