Mikac – Howard acquisition | Prime Minister of Australia
I begin by acknowledging the Traditional Owners of the land on which we meet, and I pay my respects to their elders past, present, and emerging, and I thank you for the Welcome to Country.
Can I acknowledge Peter Dutton, the Leader of the Opposition, Paul Fletcher, the Shadow Minister, but importantly as well, can I acknowledge Walter Mikac and his partner for being here, for honouring us with your presence here today.
You are the most important person in this room by far today, there is no question about that.
I spoke with John Howard on the way here. He very much regrets not feeling well today, but he certainly wanted to pass on how important this is for him, and I’m sure if he could have been here, he certainly would have been.
Distinguished guests, fellow Australians.
The items we are here today to add to our National Museum tell the story of a devastating tragedy.
But they also mark a moment of powerful leadership and national unity.
And they capture the beginning of more than a quarter century of truly remarkable personal courage.
The first letter that Walter Mikac wrote to Prime Minister Howard, in ordinary blue biro on paper over here – the original, because it was faxed.
For the younger people in the audience, that’s a machine that people used to put paper in and it would come out at a particular destination.
It’s one of the most extraordinary things that I’ve ever read in my life.
The opening sentence alone stands as a monument to the grace and bravery of a truly great Australian.
And I quote, ‘Dear Mr Howard, as the person who lost his wife and two beautiful daughters at Port Arthur, I am writing to you to give you the strength to ensure no person in Australia ever has to suffer such loss’.
Think about the words there, ‘to give you the strength’, Walter Mikac wrote to John Howard.
Imagine writing that, a bare nine days after losing the three people you loved most in the world, to an act of unspeakable and unimaginable violence.
Having to grieve alongside so many others in the unrelenting glare of the national spotlight.
And before you’ve even had the opportunity to farewell your loved ones at those funerals.
Before your family have even been laid to rest.
Not only somehow finding the strength to think of others, to think of the future.
But to try and make sure that no one would ever suffer as you and your loved ones had.
Not just that, but going that step further, seeking to share that strength, to give it to the Prime Minister of Australia, to encourage him to hold on to his convictions and do what John Howard knew was right.
Of course, it is to Prime Minister Howard’s enduring and eternal credit that he did precisely that, and I honour him today.
John Howard showed courage and determination in that moment of monumental national challenge.
Importantly, he had bipartisan support from Kim Beazley as the Labor Leader.
It was my first term. I was a very new Member at that time, but the bipartisanship was critical.
But I do want to also single out the late, great Tim Fischer, because for the National Party leader, it was particularly courageous to assert what was right, in spite of Mr Fischer’s base of support being extraordinarily hostile to what was proposed in these reforms.
And I did think at the time that for Tim Fischer, his bravery as well, very much needs to be acknowledged.
Together, they answered Walter’s call – be strong and act now.
They responded to the deep passion and principled advocacy so many of you in this room gave to the cause of reform.
Reforms that have seen the rate of fatalities from firearms halve since 1996.
As the population has increased, the rate has halved.
And if you compare that with what we see with our friends in the United States of America, they are waking up, as we do regularly, to tragedies there.
I think it is a remarkable achievement.
And while today is about honouring those moments of history, it is also, as Sarah said, a moment for us to acknowledge that this work goes on.
Just last Friday, our Attorney-General and Police Ministers’ Council unanimously agreed to present options for a new National Firearms Register to be considered by National Cabinet.
And when we raised these issues at National Cabinet, I can assure you that there is a consensus across the states and territories, across the political spectrum, to ensure that we make this change.
This is the next step on reforms that began in 1996.
And I think it’s fair to say that any progression of reform, Walter Mikac and those people who acted, including Prime Minister John Howard in 1996, along with Tim Fischer and Kim Beazley, can also take credit for anything that happens today.
I would say two more things by way of conclusion.
Firstly, there is an important letter in this collection from Prime Minister Howard, accepting the invitation to serve as the inaugural patron of the Alannah and Madeline Foundation.
Like every Prime Minister since, I have the privilege of continuing that tradition.
I think it is the only organisation that I am the patron of, certainly the first that I accepted, because I think that anyone who works with the Foundation knows just what an honour it is.
Secondly, can I say that when your children are aged three or six, you are their hero, not necessarily for anything you do, but simply for who you are.
Because you are their world – you’re their dad.
Tragically, Alannah and Madeline didn’t live long enough to know that their dad is a hero to all of us, to all Australians.
Mr Mikac, your words belong to history now.
Your actions, your legacy though, continue in perpetuity.
On behalf of our nation, which is stronger, which is safer because of you – thank you.