New South Wales Tartan
Page: 5124
Ministerial Statement
Mr FACE (Charlestown—Minister for Gaming and Racing, and Minister Assisting the Premier on Hunter Development) [2.15 p.m.]: I have pleasure in announcing the creation of the New South Wales tartan. As many honourable members would know, tartans, which have been around since the fifth century, are the symbols of clans or counties. Tasmania, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory already boast tartans of their own. Therefore, in making this announcement I am proud to sport a tie in the colours of the official New South Wales tartan, which is recognised by the Scottish Tartan Society, the world's governing body of tartans and the register of all tartans throughout the world.
The tartan will be launched formally tomorrow night at Glen Innes, in the electorate of Northern Tablelands, as part of the New England Wool Fashion Award activities. I predict that the tartan will take its rightful place alongside the other symbols of this great State. Its creation is timely given that the House is currently debating the Community Relations Commission and Principles of Multiculturalism Bill. In that debate many members have advised the House of the origins of their parents and grandparents. For example, the ancestors of the honourable member for Willoughby were from Ireland. Another member spoke of his connections with Greece. Like many other members here—such as the honourable member for Coffs Harbour and the honourable member for Bankstown—I have a Scottish heritage, and I am extremely proud of that heritage. The Face side of the family was forced to flee from France and Germany to Scotland because of religious persecution.
The honourable member for Coffs Harbour, the former member for Manly, Peter McDonald, and the former member for Maitland, Peter Blackmore, and I have been patrons of Scottish House in this State for some time. I note that today the honourable member for Coffs Harbour is sporting the Hunting Fraser Tartan. I congratulate Betty and Bradley Johnston of Murrumbateman—which is located in the Southern Tablelands between Yass and Canberra—who designed the New South Wales tartan. I am sure the honourable member for Burrinjuck is proud of them also. Although the tie was designed in Scotland, the Johnstons assure me that only premier Australian wool was used in its production. So, although the tie could have been woven in Pitlochry—a beautiful town I visited in 1998 when I toured France, Belgium and the United Kingdom with a pipe band to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Western Front—it is made of Australian wool.
In designing a tartan for New South Wales the Johnstons selected colours that were both visually appealing and eminently wearable. The red represents the colour of the Waratah, the State flower, and the St George cross on the New South Wales coat of arms. The gold represents the golden lion and golden stars on the New South Wales coat of arms and the colour of our national flower, the wattle. The black and two-tone green colours provide a balance to the tartan and give it a depth of colour that will enable it to be readily recognisable from a distance. Once again, I congratulate the Johnstons on bringing to fruition the New South Wales tartan.
Mr FRASER (Coffs Harbour) [2.20 p.m.]: It gives me great pleasure to join with the Minister for Gaming and Racing to note the launch of the official New South Wales tartan this weekend at Glen Innes. As the Minister said, there are many members of this House—me included—who are of Scottish descent. The State owes a great deal to the Scots, who have made a significant contribution to the establishment of New South Wales over the years. Many Scots were engineers, and many worked in the farming industries. Glen Innes, where the tartan is being launched, was named after Glen Innes in Scotland. In congratulating Betty and Bradley Johnston on their contribution, I recognise the tradition of the Scottish people. I note that today honourable members will discuss as a matter of public importance the tradition of Anzac Day. I remind honourable members that Scottish bands lead most Anzac marches and that Scottish pipers play the laments at most dawn and other services. We Scots have a great pride in our heritage.
The Minister is the drum major of the United Mineworkers Pipe Band. For many years my younger brother, Simon Fraser, played the pipes for that band, which the Minister led on Anzac Day. Simon now plays for the New South Wales Police Pipe Band. On Anzac Day this year my young son played the pipes for the Woolgoolga-Coffs Harbour Pipe Band. That was a moment of great pride for me. I missed the Minister at the Plains Scottish Festival a fortnight ago. I do not believe the rumour that the Minister fell over while in regimental dress at the festival some years ago. If the Minister does not already have them, he should get a pair of boxer shorts in the colours of the New South Wales tartan so that he does not embarrass himself or anyone else should he ever fall over while wearing his regimental dress.
Recently the people of Bundanoon designed their own tartan to reflect the colours of the area and the railway line that runs through Bundanoon. I commend the people of that district for designing their own tartan. Yesterday the honourable member for Monaro wore the Australian tartan into this House. The tartans for all the States and the Australian tartans are made from New South Wales wool, which is a great joy to the National Party. The Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Barry O'Farrell, has a very Irish name. I recall my grandmother, who was a Morrison and a very strong Scot, saying regularly that there are two types of people in this world: those who are Scots and those who wish they were Scots.