Vew from the chair: Speeches of Richard WL Austin

OF VICTORIA, WHERE HE HAD SERVED AS A TRUSTEE FOR MORE THAN A DECADE. A WOMAN EXPRESSED A SENSE OF TRAGIC LOSS BECAUSE DICK NO LONGER CHAIRED THE ACQUISITIONS COMMITTEE AND EXPLAINED, 'WE MISS YOU, THERE'S NO ONE HERE ANY MORE TO STOP SO MUCH JUNK COMING INTO THE COLLECTION'. DICK RESPONDED, 'OH DEAR, IN THAT REGARD I HAVE BEEN SPECTACULARLY UNSUCCESSFUL IN QUEENSLAND'. 'BUT ALL THIS SOUNDS MORE LIKE A FAREWELL SPEECH FOR A RETIRING CHAIRMAN, WHILE WE ARE HERE TO RECOGNISE HIS RECEIPT OF AN OFFICER OF THE ORDER OF AUSTRALIA AWARD FOR SERVICE TO THE ARTS AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS. YOU WILL KNOW FROM THE INVITATION THAT HE IS R. W.L AUSTIN, OFFICER OF THE ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE, ORDER OF THE RISING SUN (GOLD RAYS WITH NECK RIBBON), AND NOW AN OFFICER OF THE ORDER OF AUSTRALIA GENERAL DIVISION (AO). 'THESE ARE HONOURS BESTOWED UPON HIM BY THE BRITISH, JAPANESE AND AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENTS. A BEMUSED DICK ONCE TOLD ME THAT, WHILE HE WAS LIVING IN LONDON, THE BRITISH HIGH COMMISSIONER, SIR JOHN MASON, PHONED HIM TO ASK IF HE WOULD ACCEPT AN ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE. DICK'S RESPONSE WAS, 'OF COURSE, l'M FLATTERED AND HONOURED AND I SUPPOSE I HAVE YOU TO THANK FOR THIS?'. TO WHICH SIR JOHN REPLIED, 'DON'T BE SILLY DICK, YOUR NAME CAME UP WITH THE RATIONS!'. WELL ITS TAKEN SOME TIME FOR DICK'S AUSTRALIAN RATION CARD TO BE ISSUED. 'DICK'S ASSOCIATION WITH INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS IS WELL KNOWN AND WIDELY RESPECTED, ESPECIALLY HIS INVOLVEMENT WITH JAPAN. IN 1992 HE GAVE A SPEECH TO THE AUSTRALIA-JAPAN SOCIETY, ONE WHICH I THINK IS EXTRAORDINARILY INSIGHTFUL AND REVEALS NOT ONLY HIS AFFECTION FOR JAPAN, BUT MUCH OF WHAT WE MIGHT THINK ABOUT IN OUR OWN ENGAGEMENT WITH THAT COUNTRY.' HIS OBSERVATIONS HAVE INVARIABLY COMPLEMENTED MY EXPERIENCES WITH JAPAN. 'IT IS THIS KIND OF VIEW OF THE WORLD WHICH HAS EARNED DICK RESPECT AND WHICH IS RECOGNISED THROUGH HIS APPOINTMENT AS AN OFFICER OF THE ORDER OF AUSTRALIA. ·so TONIGHT IT IS MY PLEASURE TO WELCOME YOU AND TO SPEAK ABOUT A FRIEND WHO HAS CONTRIBUTED MUCH TO PUBLIC LIFE IN AUSTRALIA-DICK AUSTIN– WHOSE ROLES IN GOVERNMENT, DIPLOMATIC, CORPORATE AND CULTURAL CIRCLES BOTH HERE AND ABROAD HAVE BEEN GENEROUSLY ACKNOWLEDGED. HE HAS SHOWN US THAT LIFE IS NOT SOMETHING WHICH HAPPENS WHILE YOU'RE BUSY MAKING OTHER PLANS, BUT THAT LIFE CAN BE THE REWARDING INTERCONNECTIONS OF BOTH PERSONAL INTERESTS AND PUBLIC RESPONSIBILITY.' THE RESPONSE BY RICHARD AUSTIN FOLLOWS. As you say, Doug, the ration cart was a bit late in coming, but it came in the end and when it did it provided access to a very palatable tureen of kangaroo tail soup which I have been enjoying ever since. But seriously, it is a great pleasure to be here in the Gallery again and behind the lectern, what's more. I shan't be here for long, however. The new regime is being very 169