Cancer Council Queensland Official Opening of 2nd Global Advances and Controversies in Skin Cancer Conference

Speech delivered as Administrator of the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia:

I begin at once by welcoming all delegates here to Queensland – I would normally say enjoy our lovely weather, but I suppose you all know much better than I do how to best enjoy the sunshine!

I was very pleased when Richard approached me, almost a year ago, to ask if I might officially open this important conference.

Supporting the quest to beat cancer has long been a personal commitment, and my former roles as Chairman of the Queensland Cancer Fund, President of the Australian Cancer Society, and Trustee of the National Breast Cancer Foundation meant that I was very pleased to accept Cancer Council Queensland patronage shortly after being appointed Governor of Queensland in July last year.

In short, I was delighted to accept Richard’s invitation, and I congratulate Cancer Council Queensland on their decision to once again host this conference, following the highly successful inaugural event two years ago.

I also congratulate them on presenting the conference in association with the seventh annual international skin cancer conference organised by The University of Queensland and HealthCert.

When clinicians and researchers live such crowded, busy lives, such a collaborative model offers a highly efficient way of disseminating information and stimulating productive discussion.

It also maximises the benefit not only for participants, sponsors, exhibitors, and presenting partners but, most importantly, for the thousands of Australians, especially Queenslanders, who are living with skin cancer.

For them, this conference means better prevention, improved diagnosis, more effective treatment, and – ultimately – a greater chance of survival.

Certainly, the need for conferences such as this is not diminishing. The Cancer Council’s statistics demonstrate clearly that the incidence of skin cancer in Queensland remains among the highest in the world.

But there is great hope in the world-leading work being undertaken by Queensland’s excellent research institutions such as the Berghofer Medical Research Institute and in the commitment to share the results of that work through conferences such as this.

I was interested to note that, this year, the conference title refers to ‘Advances and Controversies’ whereas the inaugural event, in twenty thirteen, referred to ‘Controversies and Advances’.

That is more than just a neat linguistic inversion.

It reflects the fact that clinicians, researchers, specialists and generalists today are all clearly focused on the future, eager to explore the potential of new developments and enthusiastically embracing the promise of game-changing drugs.

It is now with great pleasure that I declare open this second Global Advances and Controversies in Skin Cancer Conference, and wish you all a highly productive three days of discussion and interaction.