Monday 7 April 2025

Minister for Finance, Trade, Employment and Training, the Honourable Rosslyn Bates MP; Assistant Minister for Finance, Trade, Employment and Training and Member for Oodgeroo, the Honourable Amanda Stoker MP; Queensland Overseas Foundation Governor, Mr Geoff Favell and the Board of Governors; Distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen.

I begin by 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.

As Governor of Queensland, and Patron of the Queensland Overseas Foundation, it is an absolute pleasure to join you all this morning, to honour a group of very special young achievers.

I wholeheartedly congratulate this year’s scholarship and bursary recipients for showing the determination and courage required to put themselves forward for consideration, and I commend them for the successes they have already accomplished in their careers.

Since 1976, the Queensland Overseas Foundation’s Scholarship has sent over 110 Queenslanders on a journey of discovery, building industry expertise and encouraging personal growth. And since 2014, the Global Connections Bursary has enabled those who train, educate and assess others to expand their knowledge across a range of areas.

The opportunities created by these unique funding programs have had a transformative impact, not just on those individuals who have travelled overseas to work and learn, but on the capabilities and vitality of our state. 

By being given the chance to broaden understanding and develop practical skills, gather cutting-edge ideas, and form useful connections globally, the Foundation’s recipients come home equipped with the insights and confidence required to promote positive outcomes in our workplaces and in our education settings.

This drives creativity, innovation, and effectiveness across industries, which is essential to navigating a fast-changing and dynamic future—one that will doubtless be ever-reliant on the beneficial application of new technologies.

I therefore thank the hard-working Board of Governors, of the Queensland Overseas Foundation, for volunteering their time and expertise to furthering the goals of the Foundation, that were first established almost fifty years ago.

I also acknowledge, with immense gratitude, the generous industry partners and sponsors who provide the financial support necessary to fund the initiative, and the organisations and employers whose efforts underpin the strength of the vocational education and training sector in Queensland.

And to the five special awardees with us today, I wish you all fruitful and fascinating journeys ahead, and feel very reassured that the wisdom you gain through this experience will serve you well personally, while also benefitting those who will learn from your example. Thank you everyone.