Afternoon Tea for Queensland Country Women’s Association Non-Conference Council

Queensland Country Women’s Association State President, Ms Tamara Stephensen; State Vice President Northern, Ms Fay Lambert; State Vice President Central, Ms Lyn Tucker; State Vice President Southern, Ms Sue Baillie; State International Officer, Ms Barbara McMillan; distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen.

I begin by acknowledging the Original Custodians of the lands around Brisbane, the Turrbal and Jagera peoples, and pay my respects to the Elders past, present and emerging, and to any First Nations people here today. 

Good afternoon, and a very warm welcome to Government House. As Patron of the Queensland Country Women’s Association, it is my great pleasure to host you here today during the period of your Non-Conference Council. This annual gathering is a vital opportunity for members from across Queensland to come together, reflect, and shape the direction of the Association for the year ahead.

It also reflects the strength of purpose and structure that has allowed the QCWA to flourish for more than a century.

This House has long stood as a place of community, service and connection — values the QCWA has embodied with quiet strength, particularly in our regions.

During my official visit to Northern and Central Western Queensland just last week, I was again reminded of the unique character of our regions—marked by distance, resilience, and deep community ties. In these often challenging environments, organisations like the QCWA are not simply beneficial—they are essential.

Your work reaches into every corner of this vast state, offering practical support, fellowship, and hope. You connect women and families across great distances. You respond swiftly and compassionately in times of drought, fire, and flood. And perhaps most importantly, you provide a sense of continuity and belonging when the world feels uncertain.

That enduring sense of purpose began with Ruth Fairfax—a woman whose life and legacy remain woven into the fabric of rural Queensland. Her pioneering efforts showed us what vision, community, and determined kindness could achieve. Today, each of you carries that legacy forward in your own way.

Thank you for all that you do—not only for the QCWA, but for Queensland. I hope this Afternoon Tea is a small token of the gratitude our state holds for your service, and a moment of well-earned connection during your time together in Brisbane.

Please enjoy the refreshments, the hospitality, and most of all, each other’s company.

Thank you.