This film is available for free personal viewing only. Licenses are required for non-profit, educational, government or commercial use; please contact film.archives@us.iofc.org
Kim Beazley, one of Australia’s most respected political leaders was the youngest member when he entered Parliament. When he left it 32 years later he was the longest serving member. He died in 2007 at the age of 90.
Through his words we can see why he was so respected, why three former Australian prime ministers attended his funeral and the national paper, “The Australian” could describe him as “a political rarity who put his religion and moral beliefs before his political interests.”
For 23 years he was in political Opposition yet it was from this position that he achieved great gains for the country. The Guardian wrote, “In debate and in his dealings with people, Beazley had what in the present-day parliamentary climate would be regarded as a rare fault, the desire to never hurt others personally.”
This interview was made in 1981. Since this time one has seen many advances nationally in Australia for Aboriginal rights which Beazley made a priority in his life, This came about because in 1953 he was chosen by his Parliament to represent Australia at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II and he decided to follow this with a visit to the conference center in Caux, Switzerland.
He stayed seven weeks, because what he saw was “extremely significant”, with healing coming in international relations between France and Germany and Germany and Denmark and learned a spiritual discipline of seeking God’s will.
Music: David Mills
“As we want the world to live” is a series of interview programs made by volunteers for Portland's Liberty Cable Community Access Channel 7 between 1980 and 1984. The interviews were conducted by Michael Henderson, an English journalist.
English
