the patron - Andrew Denton |
PELICAN LAUNCH
Andrew Denton....... 'As Peter (Malcolm) said, I've signed on sight unseen. We don't know what being patron means for any of us. Hopefully not being patronising. As I learned a little bit about the people involved, the spirit with which they embarked on this, the fact they'd given so freely of time and money, it gave me great heart. In a country which I'm sure we all feel is wounding itself, and has a great deal over the years. A country of economic rationalism now, where everything from your day dreams, to the steam rising off your urine is taxed or sold or privatised. And it seems that the voices of community, the voices of good, are howled down by the tabloid hecklers who find it easier to jeer than to construct something. I find in my professional work, I'm constantly looking for people who have a more positive contribution to make for life. Because of my experience in the media, having met a lot of people, I'm constantly struck by how good at heart most Australians are. Yet that seems to be lost in this nation a bit at the moment. And so the reason I said yes to being involved in this project, even though I don't think Gary or Peter or really any of the team, certainly not I, know where it's going to lead, is it just seems to be what we always say to our son,'it seems to have such a good heart'. I'd like to finish up with a quote that really means a great deal to me, from Albert Schweitzer who was a philanthropic man, who once said that, 'a tragedy is not that a man dies, it's what dies inside of him while he still lives' and I believe that this boat is going to add a great deal to many peoples lives, including all of ours, so it's a huge thrill to be here to smash very cheap champagne over a very expensive boat.' After the blessing of the vessel, the speeches and the smashing of champagne the team from Williamstown Cranes lowered Pelican gently into the water for the first time. She then performs doughnuts in Victoria Harbour to the cheers of the crowd. Someone remarked that she could 'turn on a sixpence.She sits so light on the water'. |
PELICAN NAMING CEREMONY
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