2016 Queensland Overseas Foundation Scholarship Award Ceremony

I acknowledge our Shadow Trade Minister, ladies and gentlemen. It is a great pleasure to take part in my second Queensland Overseas Foundation Scholarship presentation ceremony; Kaye enthusiastically joins me here today.

This year marks forty years since the Foundation was established, so that this year’s Overseas Scholarship winners, Annaleese and Pierre, now follow in the footsteps of over one hundred fine young Queenslanders who have travelled abroad to experience and learn from the latest ideas and techniques in their fields.

This long-standing exchange of ideas, the valuable experience gained by scholarship holders, and the enhancement of their already strong skills, represents a significant contribution to Queensland’s economic strength and depth when Scholarship recipients return home. 

The resulting benefits to our State have been spread across the economy, and across the State, because one of the enduring features of the Foundation’s Scholarships is its diversity.   

This year is no exception, bringing fashion design and technology, and automotive diesel fitting, together under the one roof.

Today is the start of an exciting personal and professional adventure for Annaleese and Pierre, who will be travelling to Northern Ireland and the United States respectively.

The experience will be a substantial challenge but a rewarding one. I am sure both Scholarship winners are looking forward to this rare opportunity to build on their skills and further their careers.

As Governor, Patron of the Foundation, and on behalf of everyone here, I congratulate Annaleese and Pierre on their success, and wish them a productive and enjoyable overseas sojourn. 

I warmly congratulate also the recipients of the 2016 Global Connections Bursaries, which will be presented in a short while.

I congratulate and thank the proud families and friends of today’s Scholarship winners, and their training organisations and employers, for supporting these two young Queenslanders in their ambition to be the best at what they do. 

And I thank, most sincerely, the Board of Governors of the Queensland Overseas Foundation, the Queensland Government, and the Foundation’s industry partners for their continuing efforts in support of this excellent initiative, which brings so many benefits to Queenslanders and to Queensland.

Thank you.