Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi spent his last day in the national capital, Canberra, meeting Australian Prime Minister John Howard, Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd and Foreign Minister Alexander Downer.

Among the topics discussed with Mr Howard were the difficulties faced by Maltese-Australian pensioners who lose part of their Australian pension if they return to live in Malta for a certain period of time.

With both Malta and Australia going to the polls soon, it was understandable that this subject would also come up: “Mr Howard and I wished each other well on our respective upcoming elections,” Dr Gonzi said succinctly. The latest polls show that Mr Howard’s conservative government has slid in public opinion, with the electorate feeling that the administration is dishonest, arrogant, and has lost touch with reality.

The extent of Malta’s deep ties to Australia are brought home continuously during this official visit. Mr Rudd, who has only been leader of the opposition Labour Party since December, recalled that until recently there was a Maltese MP, Christian Zahra, who unfortunately lost his seat in the last election. In his meeting with the Foreign Minister, Dr Gonzi learned that Mr Downer’s father was an emigration minister, who probably brought over hundreds of Maltese to Australia. “When he was made High Commissioner to England, my father also represented Australia at Malta’s Independence celebrations of 1964,” Mr Downer added.

Earlier in the day, the Maltese delegation was taken on a tour of the fascinating and colourful Questacon, the National Science and Technology Centre. Here education and play merge seamlessly for children (and the young at heart) to learn about everything, from earthquakes to sound waves, from physics to the fear of falling. Of course, visits to this kind of attraction inevitably have us silently wondering why our politicians can’t channel some funds to adopt a few of these creative ideas in Malta.

At the National Capital Exhibition, Dr Gonzi officially opened the Maltese Migrant Exhibition in the presence of members of the Diplomatic Corps as well as the Maltese community. Organiser Carmen Beretta spoke emotionally about the hardship and discrimination endured by those first Maltese migrants, starting with Giuseppe Busuttil in 1883, who worked in the sugar cane fields and coal mines in the region of Mackay.

“They left Malta never to see their families again. The Maltese spirit was tested and not found wanting and I’m so very proud of my Maltese heritage,” Ms Beretta said, breaking into tears, which touched all those present. “I ask you, too, to be proud of those Maltese pioneers. For, unless you know from whence you came, how do you know where you are going?”

The exhibition traces with photographs and actual documentation, those who were brave enough to come to this region at a time when there was primitive housing, deep isolation and an often hostile reception from Australians. A rather condescending leaflet entitled Hints for the Emigrant, written in English and oddly-spelt Maltese, gives an indication of how the migrants were perceived. “Be clean, be honest, be respectful towards other races and creeds, do not drink alcohol, be sure to send your children to school, dress properly when you go into town; prices are fixed, so don’t try to bargain”, were just a few of these hints.

Confirming how deep the prejudice against foreigners was at the time, Loreto York, the first Maltese-born mayor of an Australian city (Brunswick, Victoria) told us his story. Born in Sliema in 1918, he served in the Royal Air Force and was stationed in London after the war. With people constantly mispronouncing and misspelling his then surname, Meilak, he was encouraged to change it. Although he resisted at first, he caved in to the pressure and changed it to York, on the reasoning that his parents were dead and so would not be offended. He emigrated to Melbourne with his wife and young son in 1954.

These functions always

provide a rich source of material to hear about people’s experiences first-hand.

Jane came to Australia in 1951 with her family at the age of 16. It was here that she met Wigi Camilleri who emigrated in 1942 as a young 22-year-old man. “There weren’t many Maltese here at the time,” said Wigi. “I came to join my brother who had emigrated to Australia before me, but he had five kids and didn’t have enough room for me, so I was living at a camp. One time, I had a day off from work and I just happened to see Jane walking along the street, and that was it.”

Wigi and Jane were the first Maltese couple to be married in Canberra, and their families ensured that they had a traditional Maltese wedding, with all the works. They went on to have seven children, with the youngest coming after a gap of 13 years. Today, they have 12 grandchildren and have been married for 55 years. Their secret? “We’re always fighting, we let it all out!” Wigi told me with an impish grin.

Originally from Birkirkara, Wigi’s eyes well up with tears as he asks me to send greetings to his brothers and

sisters in Malta.

Our brief stay in the nation’s capital has shown us yet another facet of this incredible country. With signs on some roads warning you that this is a “high accident zone” because of roaming kangaroos, Canberra is a unique mixture of sprawling residences, central government and Australian bush. I could not establish whether people are insured when their car is damaged because of a collision with the strong kangaroo. But – as they say around here – “no worries”.

This morning the Maltese delegation leaves for Sydney where it will spend three days before it departs for Malta on Sunday.