Deputy Director-General, Sport and Recreation, Department of Tourism and Sport, Mr Andrew Sly; Leaders of community sport in Queensland, and your guests.
I begin by acknowledging the Traditional Owners of the lands around Brisbane, the Turrbal and Jagera people, and pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging.
I am delighted to welcome you to Government House for this dinner in support of community sport and those who ensure its ongoing success.
Each of you contributes so significantly to the vibrancy and success of organised sport in our State, that it would be difficult to address your individual accomplishments in the time we have here.
It is safe to say that collectively, you and the organisations you lead provide the bedrock for our success in all manner of sporting codes and collectives.
Queensland of course has enviable reserves of talent, particularly in sports such as netball, shooting, surf lifesaving, tennis, bowls, and sailing.
And you’ll agree we have entered a period of intense focus and heightened excitement about sport at the highest level, thanks largely to the Olympic and Paralympic Games coming to Brisbane in 2032.
However, without the organisation, planning, hard work and opportunities your respective organisations provide, our brightest young talents might never find their way onto the teams and into the sporting arenas they dream about.
As Patron of the organisations you represent, I am committed to offering my support when and where it is needed.
That may involve using my connections and public profile to help improve participation in your sports at the grassroots level.
This has the added benefit of furthering another of my aims as Governor — that is improving the health and well-being of all Queenslanders.
We know that exercise is crucial to preventing and treating chronic conditions such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer, reducing risk factors such as hypertension and obesity, and helping to build strength.
We are continuing to discover how much physical activity promotes better mental and emotional health. Sport also builds a sense of belonging, new skills and the chance to form lasting friendships, giving us greater confidence off the field.
QSport’s role in the planning and allocation of resources to ensure the development of a seemingly endless list of sports played in Queensland helps immeasurably in this regard.
Indeed, you are all making my job so much easier, because I know that right across our state — from the large towns to the smallest communities — clubs, teams and dedicated individuals, many of whom you represent, are out there, on land and water, encouraging people to be up, and moving.
Put simply, sport is essential to our way of life.
I commend you for all that you do to promote sports in this State, and the immense positive effect it will undoubtedly have in our communities in the years to come.
