Girl Guides Queensland (GGQ)
Presentation of Annual Awards
Speech by Her Excellency Ms Penelope Wensley AC, Governor of Queensland
Patron, Girl Guides Queensland
Government House
28th June, 2011
State Commissioner, Girl Guides Queensland (GGQ), Ms Monica Elliott,
Assistant State Commissioners, Mrs Helen Lauder and Dr Monique Beedles,
Members of the State Executive Committee, Mrs Judith Coombes, Ms Kathy Neehouse and Ms Dorothy Dalglish,
Members' Representative, Mrs Margaret Miller,
Operations Manager, Ms Deborah Camilleri,
Program Awards Adviser, Mrs Siegrid Matheve-Ceulemans,
State Program Manager, Mrs Sandra McCarthy,
Guide Leaders and Region Leaders,
Members and supporters of the Queensland Guiding Community,
Award recipients,
Family and friends of the awardees,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good evening.
That was certainly a long list of acknowledgements, but it is a measure of the significance of this evening that we have such a large and distinguished group of Girl Guides Queensland leaders, members and supporters in attendance, and I am delighted to welcome you all to Government House and to offer its hospitality to you once again at this always-very-special Annual Awards ceremony.
To that long list of acknowledgements, I add one more, and that is to recognise Australia's indigenous peoples and in particular the Jagera and Turrbal peoples who lived in this Brisbane region before European settlement. This acknowledgement has become a customary inclusion at major public ceremonies and events in our State, in support of the national goal of reconciliation. Sometimes, when it is given, it sounds rather formulaic and lacking in sincerity, a genuflection to ‘political correctness' - and I read recently of one of my counterparts in another State who has decided not to include it - but I believe it can be a valuable reminder, on occasions, both of our history and of the goals and values to which we are committed, as Australians, of building a just and equal society. And on this occasion, when we gather to recognise and celebrate the achievement and commitment of members of an organisation that is all about values, whose mission is to enable girls and young women to grow into caring, responsible community members, it seems to me entirely appropriate to include it. The young women who have received their Queen's Awards this evening may well become the leaders who will help achieve some of those goals of social justice that remain unfulfilled, who will serve our community in significant ways.
Leadership and service, of course, is at the very heart of this Annual Awards ceremony - the third such ceremony at which I have officiated since I became Governor and Patron of Girl Guides Queensland. It is an event I look forward to: not only the formal, ceremonial act of presenting these hard-won and well-earned Awards, but the opportunity, at the reception afterwards, to meet and talk to the recipients - and their families. Guiding is an organisation which becomes enmeshed in families, indeed I know that some say Guiding is passed down from generation to generation like genes (spelt with a "g"!), or perhaps, for the tea drinkers here - like a fine bone china teapot, precious but still in daily use! Now, I may be a bit fanciful, imagining that this generation uses teapots rather than tea bags - and that anyone still honours the rule that my mother taught me of "one for each person and one for the pot"! - but I am confident, from my contact with Guiding and Guides over many years (long before I had the privilege of becoming Patron of Girl Guides Queensland) that there are many, many instances where a commitment to, a love of - and belief in - Guiding has shaped and influenced several generations of women in the one family, and if there are some such present this evening, I extend to you an extra special welcome, knowing that the achievement of your daughter, mother, sister or wife will be a cause of great pride, as indeed, it is for every person in the room who has seen a family member, colleague or friend receive an award this evening - whether the Queen's Guide Award or an Adult Award.
On the subject of feeling pride - to divert slightly from the Awards, just for a moment - this annual ceremony gives me the opportunity to say publicly, before this particular audience, how very proud I have felt, as Patron of Girl Guides Queensland, as I have been travelling all around the State visiting communities affected by the floods, rains and Cyclone Yasi, to hear stories of the service of Girl Guides across Queensland contributing to the "Mud Army", helping friends and neighbours - and in other instances, complete strangers - with the cleanup, and supporting the repair and rebuilding effort through fundraising and other activities. I know that the Guides themselves were affected, with five huts flooded - two severely affected - and that a number of Guiding families suffered severe losses - and that some of the cleanup and fundraising efforts were in response to these. I thank all the leaders who encouraged and steered these efforts, but especially I thank the Guides who responded so strongly and enthusiastically for their terrific contribution to helping their communities and our State to recover from one of the worst periods of natural disasters in our history, and to express my pride as their Patron for the way in which these girls and young women delivered on their Guides' promise "to serve the Queen and [their] country" and "To help other people".
It is an appropriate note to reflect a little more on today's awardees, on what they have done and achieved, for these are individuals who have distinguished themselves above the very high standard of service ordinarily expected of Girl Guides.
In the opening pages of the "Girl's Guide to the Queen's Guide Award" (which no doubt our Queen's Guide awardees all studied very carefully!) Juliette Low, founder of Girl Scouts in USA, is quoted as saying: "Every badge you earn is tied to your motto - ‘Be Prepared'. This badge (or, adapt her words to this evening's ceremony, this certificate) is not a reward for something you have done once for an examination you have passed. Badges are not medals to wear on your sleeve or to show what a smart girl you are. A Badge is a symbol that you have done the thing that it stands for often enough, thoroughly enough, and well enough to be prepared to give service in it."
The Queen's Guide Award is the peak achievement award for youth members of Girl Guides Australia. Gaining it is rigorous and it is demanding, usually involving years of effort. In choosing to undertake the challenges of the awards - and to do them often enough, thoroughly enough and well enough, in the words of Juliette Low - each of you has made a choice not simply to be satisfied with the main stream, the ordinary, but to do something different and beyond the ordinary; to take a risk, at a time in your lives already bristling with challenges, to extend yourselves and to reach for, work for, this achievement.
In doing so, you have marked yourselves out as leaders, both today and into the future, both within Guiding, and in the wider world. I am delighted to extend to you my warmest congratulations and to welcome each of you to this "constellation of stars" as I like to think of it, that the Queen's Guide Award represents, of bright young leaders, shining examples who may inspire and light the way for others.
Having completed this demanding challenge, I appreciate that you may wish to rest on your laurels for a little and concentrate on other life-goals and interests, on some of those other challenges I referred to a moment ago, but I sincerely hope that each of you will continue, in some way, to stay engaged with Guiding into the future.
To our Adult Awardees, honoured for your dedication and for the exceptional quality of your service to Girl Guides Queensland, over many years, I extend to you also my warmest congratulations and, on behalf of all the girls and young women who have benefited from your commitment, my sincere appreciation for the contribution you have made to Guiding in Queensland. Service at all levels, and the leadership of strong, vital, active and engaged women of all ages is essential if Guiding is to achieve its goal of being "the pre-eminent organisation for girls and young women." In thanking you all for your contribution, I express the hope that you, also, will continue to contribute your skills, talents and abilities to the cause of Guiding in Queensland, to the benefit of the thousands of girls and young women who participate in Guiding in our State now, or who may decide to do so in the future.
Although it is usually frowned on to single out one individual, I DO wish to pay special tribute this evening and to recognise particularly the contribution of Sue Van Eyk, who was not only a dedicated State Commissioner and exemplary leader during her term in this demanding office, but an invaluable support to me as I commenced my role as Governor and as Patron of Girl Guides Queensland. I am looking forward to having an equally positive and mutually beneficial relationship with the new State Commissioner, Monica Elliot.
Looking back upon our "summer of disasters" and their aftermath, as I travel throughout Queensland, to give my support to Queenslanders as they rebuild their communities, I have been very focused, along with many of the community-based organisations of which I am Patron, on the emotional and mental health implications of these immense natural disasters and their aftermath. When it comes, in particular, to children and young people, all the reports I have read, the discussions I have had with emergency and community workers, with teachers and with other experts have underlined the critical importance of strong, supportive networks. The Girl Guides is one of the strongest, most secure networks of support a girl or young woman can have, and I know that this has not been lightly achieved. It has come about through a century of dedicated service and commitment to creating a culture of camaraderie that will give girls and young women the opportunity to achieve their full potential while having fun and making friends; a commitment to build their confidence and skills, and to give them, through Guiding, the values and the outlook that will lead them to become capable, caring and responsible citizens.
In the company of this group of exemplary Guides, we may all feel confident that Guiding in Queensland is in good shape and that its future is in good hands - and on that happy and optimistic note, I invite you all, Ladies and Gentlemen, to join me once again, in expressing our congratulations to all of our Awardees.
Thank you.