Mr. Premier, Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen

Thank you for your generous words of welcome. Prince Philip and I 
have fond memories of our last visit to Launceston twelve years ago 
and we are impressed by the way in which this city has grown and 
developed since then. The Heritage Buildings have been wonderfully 
restored and Albert Hall is a credit to the city.

During these last twenty-four hours in Tasmania I have seen and 
heard much of the growing economic vitality of this state. Later 
today I will be visiting Inveresk where I understand there is a fine 
example of urban renewal being undertaken at the former railyards. 
Yesterday we visited the INCAT Shipyard in Hobart, a company taking 
on the world and building ships of international repute. And others 
in the State are making the most of economic opportunities:

Tasmanian wool is used for making garments in Germany; cheeses from 
Burnie are being sold to South America; Tasmanian beer has a 
world-wide reputation; and all around us the magnificent Tasmanian 
wilderness with its clean air and natural beauty is attracting 
tourists from all over the world.

But economic progress needs to go hand in hand with efforts to 
improve the ways in which we live and work together. I am pleased to 
see here today in Albert Hall such a wide cross-section of the 
Tasmanian community. I too would like to pay tribute to the 
Servicemen and women back from East Timor who have so much to be 
proud of. I am also very pleased that the elders of the Aboriginal 
community are here today, along with representatives from both the 
rural areas and from the cities and from all age groups. As part of 
efforts in Tasmania to build and strengthen your community, I have 
been interested to learn of the ambitious "Tasmania Together" 
programme and look forward to hearing of its progress in the years to
come.

I commend such initiatives to create a more hamonious and tolerant
Tasmania and wish them every success. There is a sense of growing 
confidence and optimism here in the State and it is therefore a 
particular pleasure for both Prince Philip and me to be back here 
this year, seeing some of your present successes and hearing of your 
visions for the future. We are both most grateful to you all for your
warm Tasmanian welcome.