On Australia Day 2010 as we enter this second decade of the 21st century Australians can be optimistic about our future but we cannot afford to mistake optimism for complacency.

The ongoing conflict between us has caused heavy suffering to both peoples. The future can and must be different. Both our peoples are destined to live together side by side on this small piece of land. This reality we cannot change.

We know not of the future and cannot plan for it much.

While we can remember the past we cannot write the future. Only our children the future of our community can do that.

I hate those e-books. They cannot be the future. They may well be.

In the future instead of striving to be right at a high cost it will be more appropriate to be flexible and plural at a lower cost. If you cannot accurately predict the future then you must flexibly be prepared to deal with various possible futures.

Our work is before us. It cannot be passed to future legislatures and must not be passed to future generations. May we boldly seize the moment with singular unity. And may we build a Texas of unlimited possibility.

You cannot fight against the future. Time is on our side.

We cannot always assure the future of our friends we have a better chance of assuring our future if we remember who our friends are.

We cannot turn the clock back nor can we undo the harm caused but we have the power to determine the future and to ensure that what happened never happens again.