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27th Governor of Queensland Her Excellency the Honourable Dr Jeannette Young AC PSM

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Afternoon Tea for the 57th International Conference of the Pacific Rim Advisory Council

Ladies and gentlemen, Kaye and I are delighted to recognise the 57th International Conference of the Pacific Rim Advisory Council by receiving you this afternoon, and in this beautiful heritage-listed building. You are all most welcome.

Like many of your firms, this House owes a lot to commerce and enterprise. It was built by a successful businessman, Johann Heussler, 150 years ago, and has since then followed the contours of the historical development of our State. It has been conspicuous as the official residence of Queensland Governors since 1910.

Incidentally, Johann Heussler’s great great granddaughter, Dr Honey Heussler, is calling on me here tomorrow morning.

And while on matters of a ‘family’ complexion, I note with pleasure that the Chief Executive Partner of Clayton Utz, Mr Robert Cutler, is with us here this afternoon.

Robert’s uncle was Sir Roden Cutler, who served with great distinction for 14 years as Governor of New South Wales; and also, significantly in this Anzac centenary period, was a recipient of the Victoria Cross. To add to the connection, it happens that my Official Secretary, Air Commodore Mark Gower, was one of Sir Roden’s aides, if for a short time.

As Governor and representative of Queensland’s Head of State, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, I welcome you all to Brisbane and Queensland. Kaye and I hope you are able while here to take advantage of at least some of the many unique natural wonders and authentic experiences our State has to offer.

I do hope you have a productive conference. I need no persuading of the worth of these exchanges. I participated in many colloquiums during my 29 year career on our Supreme Court, 16 of them as Chief Justice of the State. They were in fact invariably worthwhile, though some sceptics in the media were less than accepting of that. You do not have that card to contend with.

For about eight years I was privileged to chair a biennial conference of Chief Justices of Asia and the Pacific. In the course of that conference, and otherwise, I met a number of your Chief Justices, including Chief Justice John Roberts and Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin, as well of course as Dame Sian Elias of New Zealand: Kaye and I were in Wellington only last week. Only a month ago we were in Singapore where I met again with Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon. I hope by this stage you will not think I am ‘dropping’ names, by the way!

I mention those names because, ladies and gentlemen, of your primary jurisdictions. Kaye and I developed strong friendships with Chief Justices of the Pacific as well. 

I am so pleased this Conference is happening in Queensland. I know the Conference has been to Sydney twice before – I am glad you thought it time for a change!

May I warmly thank my long-standing friends and former professional colleagues at Clayton Utz for hosting the Conference. I am confident they will be doing you proud!

It will be a great honour for Kaye and me to meet you shortly. Welcome to Queensland! I can assure you that we usually proclaim and revel in an abundance of sunshine here. But even a dismal drizzle of rain cannot obscure the beauty of this Estate. Welcome to you all!