Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame 10th Anniversary Induction Dinner

24^th Queensland Governor and 25^th Governor-General, Dame Quentin Bryce; distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen; thank you very much for the warm welcome.

I also acknowledge the traditional owners of the lands around Brisbane, and pay respects to their elders and future leaders.   

I am delighted to be with you tonight. This is the fifth Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame inductees’ dinner I have attended in my five years as Governor.

I cherish these opportunities to celebrate the important contributions businesses and proprietors make to our State’s economy and to the well-being of our people. I at once enthusiastically congratulate tonight’s inductees, to be announced shortly.

Many of you would be aware that Fernberg – the official residence of Queensland Governors since 1910 – has its own significant links to ingenuity and commerce.

It was built in stages by businessmen Johann Heussler and John Stevenson in the mid-to-late 1800s.

And today, in the early 21^st century, Kaye and I have hosted at Government House a luncheon for outstanding young Queensland contributors – from medicine and research, the arts, education and sport, public administration defence, public safety – and yes, commerce.

They were all very interesting young people, indeed as you would expect challenging. The builders – Heussler and Stevenson – would be have been intrigued.

The Heussler/Stevenson stories are themselves fascinating in every sense of the word, and deserve a place in our collective memory.

So too, and in an even grander way, do tonight’s somewhat older and more venerable inductees, who have made – and continue to make – invaluable contributions to our shared prosperity.

The inductees recognised tonight bring great strength and substance to Queensland. And they have done so across a dizzying array of fields: in retail and the resources sector, the arts and entertainment, engineering and transportation and the urban environment.

I’m sure I speak for all Queenslanders when I say that we are extremely grateful to them all.

All inductees are highly deserving of this special honour and I warmly welcome each of them to the Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame.

I commend the State Library of Queensland, the Queensland Library Foundation and QUT Business School for creating and sustaining this marvellous initiative.

Finally, I also commend all partners and supporters of Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame, led by my long-standing friend and colleague, Mr Ken MacDonald, for making this flagship event possible.

These are always such wonderful occasions – explicitly acknowledging the importance of commerce in building and strengthening connections between many parts of the community.

Thank you all for your attendance, as we pause and pay fitting tribute to those bright and bold minds, and businesses, who contribute so much to our State.

I wish you a wonderful evening. Thank you.

Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame
10^th Anniversary Induction Dinner