Wednesday 17 April 2024

Premier of Queensland, the Honourable Steven Miles MP and Executive Councillors; Leader of the Opposition, Mr David Crisafulli MP; The Right Honourable, the Lord Mayor of Brisbane, Councillor Adrian Schrinner; Members of Parliament; Directors-General and Commissioners; Council Mayors and CEOs from every corner of our State; Local Government Association of Queensland President, Mr Mark Jamieson and CEO, Ms Alison Smith; distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen, a very good evening to you all.

I too, begin by acknowledging the Traditional Owners of the lands around Brisbane, the Turrbal and Jagera people, and pay my respects to Elders past and present and to all First Nations people here this evening.

Thank you for your kind invitation to attend this evening’s Local Government Association of Queensland Cocktail Event. It is a wonderful opportunity for all to mingle and get to know their counterparts in other regions of Queensland, and those who play key roles in the management of our great State.

It is indeed an honour to be elected by your communities – or re-elected as the case may be – to the role of Mayor of your respective councils and I trust you understand the weighty responsibility that accompanies such a position of stewardship.

Your contributions are essential to the smooth running of our State and meeting the many and varied needs of Queenslanders, wherever they may live. I congratulate you all and may your terms be punctuated by outstanding teamwork and many community successes.

I’m sure you know better than most that being in local government is not for the faint of heart! It is for those who dedicate themselves to the ongoing concerns of their constituency and those who possess a desire to make things better for all.

It demands much of you in terms of time and personal commitment – not only from yourselves, but also from your partners and families.

It also requires a great deal of empathy – including for those who don’t necessarily see things the way you do.

To be the leader in these situations can be challenging to say the least, but it is a role too, that can elicit great satisfaction from a job well done.

We value our local governments very highly, not only in this State, but across the length and breadth of Australia.  They are full of hard-working people who are deeply engaged in their communities, who can see possibilities and take action.

When I became Governor, I made a commitment to visit every local government area during my term and it is truly one of the greatest delights of my role to meet with Queenslanders in the most far-flung corners of our State and to hear of the things that matter to them. These visits often leave me in awe of the wonderful work being done by local governments to make our communities – as unique and diverse as they are – such wonderful places to live and work.

To the Local Government Association of Queensland, the peak body for local government since 1896, I would like to thank you, on behalf of all Queenslanders, for the work you do in supporting and representing our State’s 77 councils.

Your support enables councils and their leaders to strengthen ties with their communities and to elicit further efficiency and productivity from their operations.

Thank you.

Member for Surfers Paradise, Mr John-Paul Langbroek MP; Consul-General of the United Kingdom for Queensland and the Northern Territory, Mr Richard Cowin MBE; Members of the Consular Corps of Queensland; distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen.

I too, begin by acknowledging the Traditional Owners of the lands around Brisbane, the Turrbal and Jagera people, and pay my respects to Elders past and present and to any First Nations people here this evening.

How lovely it is to be invited to this Autumn Reception hosted by the British Consulate-General in Brisbane and the opportunity it provides for us to strengthen the relationship between our two countries. These connections are both productive and mutually beneficial, so it is always important not only to maintain, but to sustain, the ties that bind us.

Having been in the role for more than one year now, I would like to congratulate Mr Cowin for the dedication you have shown in that time to the work of the British Consulate-General and the strong relationships you have forged with British residents here in Queensland, and beyond.

Continuing to nourish our longstanding relationship is important, as is working together on a range of matters of interest to both the United Kingdom and Australia.

These common interests focus on the political, social, economic and humanitarian spheres, and support the adage that ‘two heads are better than one’ when it comes to finding solutions to issues that concern us both.

There is no doubt that the valued hand of friendship is necessary in times of challenge and uncertainty. But not only is it essential in times of need, equally, celebrating together in the good times is also important, and serves to fasten our ties.

I know that we will continue to work closely in the diplomatic domain.

In closing, I would once again like to acknowledge the work of the entire team here at the British Consulate-General, but also take this opportunity to share our well wishes for both His Majesty The King and The Princess of Wales as they deal with their individual health battles.

We form part of the legion of supporters who have their best interests at heart.

Thank you.