On this day …
On Tuesday, in the morning, at Government House, Her Excellency the Honourable Dr Jeannette Young AC PSM greeted members of BallyCare Retirement Village visiting for a guided tour of the House and gardens.
Following, at Government House, Her Excellency and Professor Graeme Nimmo RFD hosted a reception in support of the Salvation Army’s 2026 Red Shield Appeal supporters, and the Governor addressed guests.
President of the Court of Appeal, Supreme Court of Queensland and Chancellor, Anglican Diocese of Brisbane, the Honourable Justice, Ms Debra Mullins AO; Divisional Commander, The Salvation Army, Major Mark Everitt; Corps Officer and Pastor, The Salvation Army Carindale, Captain Brad Whittle; Government & Media Relations, The Salvation Army, Mr Rendle Williams; Salvation Army staff and supporters; distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen.
I begin by also acknowledging the Original Custodians of the lands around Brisbane, the Turrbal and Jagera people, and pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging, and to any First Nations people here tonight.
As Joint Patrons of the Salvation Army’s Queensland Division, Graeme and I are once again delighted to welcome to Government House the dedicated supporters and generous donors of the Red Shield Appeal.
The Salvation Army has supported Australians for more than 140 years – providing safety, shelter and help to those in need, giving hope and comfort where it is needed most.
Today, the organisation has grown to become one of the country’s largest and most trusted providers of social services and programs for people experiencing hardship, injustice and social isolation. Last year the Salvos distributed over $ 24 million in financial support and assisted over 228,000 Australians across its wide range of social programs. An absolute amazing effort!
Year-on-year however, demand for assistance across almost every one of its programs has grown. So too has the need for more funding to ensure the Salvos’ vital services can continue to evolve and keep up with demand. Sadly, their work is far from over.
In the past 12 months alone, the Salvos’ frontline services in Queensland have recorded unprecedented demand as cost-of-living pressures take hold, with increased numbers of people experiencing housing instability and homelessness, seeking treatment for alcohol and drug addiction, or impacted by family and domestic violence and recent natural disasters.
As household budgets are stretched to breaking point, more Australians are making impossible choices to make ends meet — skipping meals, disconnecting electricity and hot water, forgoing medications, sending children to school without lunch, and even surrendering family pets they can no longer afford to feed.
Among all of this heartbreak however, there is hope. The Salvation Army is there when families lose their footings, when young people need guidance, when someone’s world has fallen apart and they cannot see a way forward.
The annual Red Shield Appeal is a tangible symbol of that hope and proof, too, that even in the face of immense hardship, with the right help, people can rebuild their lives and ultimately create a better future for themselves and their families.
Tonight, Graeme and I acknowledge and thank the Salvos’ dedicated leadership team and staff who, along with thousands of extraordinary volunteers, give of their time, energy and goodwill.
To the many supporters of the Red Shield Appeal – the individual donors, charitable trusts, foundations, sponsors, corporate partners and community groups – thank you for your enormous generosity which has helped create a safety net for thousands of vulnerable Queenslanders.
Also, tonight I particularly acknowledge the Salvos’ very own Merrin Button for her 20 years of dedicated service to the organisation’s senior leaders. I also thank Bob Fowler for over 30 years of outstanding service, including as chair of the Cairns Red Shield Appeal Committee for more than two decades. Along with his wife Jill, Bob continues to contribute financially through his family trust and business.
And we deeply appreciate the efforts of Linfox Queensland whose logistics expertise, fleet support and operational reliability has made large-scale collections, gift distribution and emergency response activities possible. On behalf of all Queenslanders, we offer our deepest gratitude to all of you for making a profound difference to the lives of so many fellow Queenslanders. With your continued support, may the trusted tagline – ‘Thank God for the Salvos’– continue to resonate across our communities.
