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what has gone before us. I think we have been too apologetic about our history in the<br />

past. I think we have been far too self-conscious about what this country has<br />

achieved and I believe it is tremendously important that we understand...that the<br />

Australian achievement has been a heroic one, a courageous one and a<br />

humanitarian one. Any attempts to denigrate that achievement I believe will derive<br />

the justifiable ire and criticism <strong>of</strong> the Australian community, however people may lie<br />

in the political spectrum. (1996a, p. 6158, emphasis added)<br />

The sentiment <strong>of</strong> this statement, supported by then-Opposition Leader Kim Beazley through a<br />

parliamentary response, was repeated two weeks later by Howard at the 1996 Menzies’<br />

Lecture. During his speech on this occasion, Howard was overt with his criticism <strong>of</strong> Keating<br />

and as newly elected Prime Minister established his difference from the former Prime<br />

Minister on the issue <strong>of</strong> Australian history (for a more detailed overview <strong>of</strong> Keating’s<br />

perspectives in the early years <strong>of</strong> the history/culture wars than what this overview provides,<br />

consult Brawley, 1997). Also <strong>of</strong> importance, during this time period, ultra conservative<br />

politician, Pauline Hanson had been elected to Parliament House. Her provocative,<br />

reactionary statements on Asian immigration and Indigenous Australian rights and social<br />

justice issues had caused a national debate which in turn gained significant international<br />

attention. In view <strong>of</strong> the immediate past events (Paul Keating’s defeat) and current events<br />

(rise <strong>of</strong> race debates which attracted significant numbers <strong>of</strong> disgruntled conservatives),<br />

Howard stated,<br />

I have spoken tonight <strong>of</strong> the need to guard against the re-writing <strong>of</strong> Australian<br />

political history...<br />

There is, <strong>of</strong> course, a related and broader challenge involved. And that is to<br />

ensure that our history as a nation is not written definitively by those who take the<br />

view that Australians should apologise for most <strong>of</strong> it.<br />

This 'black arm band' view <strong>of</strong> our past reflects a belief that most Australian<br />

history since 1788 has been little more than a disgraceful story <strong>of</strong> imperialism,<br />

exploitation, racism, sexism and other forms <strong>of</strong> discrimination.<br />

461

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