Mr MILES (Braddon—Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet) to the Prime Minister) (10.57 p.m.)—I wish to add my comments to those made by the member for Leichhardt (Mr Entsch). The issue he raised is very important. About 1,000 Aboriginal people were in Canberra for the Praise Corroboree and they came from virtually all over Australia. They travelled thousands of kilometres to get here. If we had two or three Aboriginal people belting on the front doors of Parliament House the media would have been swarming all over them. On this occasion, these people came down as an act of reconciliation and to talk to members of parliament.

Many people within Security in Parliament House were concerned about how things would go. While the event was on many people involved with security in Parliament House did not even know these people were here. Their behaviour was exemplary. The organisers took a lot of trouble to ensure that, due to recent events, these people from all over Australia behaved themselves.

The member for Leichhardt has raised a real concern that when Aboriginal people and other Australians get together, share in a common cause and a common purpose, very little recognition is given and no mention is made of it in the newspapers. This is a great tragedy. It is one of the reasons there is division in Australia.

Peter Walker, an ATSIC commissioner, and others were part of the Praise Corroboree and I want to congratulate them on a marvellous job. It was an excellent idea. I understand that in future they want to repeat this. I hope it becomes bigger and better. The Praise Corroboree here a couple of weeks ago was fabulous. Everybody involved in it should be congratulated. It is a basis for deep, lasting and genuine reconciliation in this country. I add my comments to those of the member for Leichhardt.

Debate interrupted.