Breakfast for Trade and Industry Representatives in Goondiwindi

Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for taking the time to be here this morning. 

I at once acknowledge the traditional owners of the lands around Goondiwindi, and extend respectful greetings to Elders and emerging leaders.

I begin by reiterating my warm congratulations to your Mayor – first on being elected, and also on being made a Member of the Order of Australia for service to Parliament and to the people of this region – clearly ongoing service!  

It is a very great pleasure to be in the Goondiwindi Regional Council area as part of my first regional visit since the COVID-19 pandemic had a profound impact on Queenslanders’ day-to-day lives. I know the impacts have been felt acutely here in Goondiwindi, with barriers on the Border Bridge for the first time since the Spanish Flu in 1918. 

The light at the end of the tunnel of our current predicament is now clearly visible. I hope that more day-to-day activities, including a further safe opening up of business operations, will soon be possible. 

It is my great privilege, wherever I travel in the State, to meet community representatives, to hear of their achievements and challenges, and to offer my support and encouragement as Queensland’s Governor.   

This morning I am delighted to have the opportunity to meet with this wide cross-section of Queenslanders who keep the Goondiwindi region’s economy moving ahead. 

Working in the agribusiness sector in a region that has been drought declared since 2014 remains a great challenge. I greatly value your resilience and energy as an inspiration to all Queenslanders. 

Forecasters are hopeful for winter rains, I understand.  I hope the hope turns to reality soon.   

Queensland was founded on agriculture, as Government House in Brisbane reminds me daily. It owes its impressive proportions to a previous owner, the 19^th century pastoralist John Stevenson. 

The agriculture sector remains a vital source of revenue and employment creation in Queensland. And it supplies lucky Queenslanders, and lucky others, with the world’s best quality products, including the food and wine that we proudly serve at Government House. 

I thank you for your warm welcome today, and for your wonderful contributions to the prosperity of this region and of the State. I extend my best wishes to you and your communities for every success in the future. Thank you.