French-Australian Chamber of Commerce 2026 Bastille Day Gala

Representing the Premier, Deputy Premier, Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning and Minister for Industrial Relations, the Honourable Jarrod Bleijie MP; Representing the Lord Mayor of Brisbane, Councillor Krista Adams; Member for Sandgate, Ms Bisma Asif MP; Honorary Consul of France in Brisbane, Mr Alain Etchegaray; CEO, Trade and Investment Queensland, Mr Justin McGowan; CEO, Business Chamber Queensland, Ms Heidi Cooper; French Trade Commissioner, Business France, Mr François Matraire; Légion d'Honneur, Chairman and Chief Executive, BBS Communications Group, Lady Jane Edwards AM; Queensland President, French-Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr Scott White, and General Manager, Mr Jerome Fournand; distinguished guests; mesdames et messieurs.

I also acknowledge the Original Custodians of the lands around Brisbane, the Turrbal and Jagera peoples, and pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging, and to any First Nations people here this evening.  

Thank you for that warm welcome. Graeme and I are delighted to join you to celebrate the enduring connection between our two countries.  

From the earliest days of Australia’s nationhood, France has had a meaningful presence on our shores, and by our side. One-hundred-and-eighty-four years ago, a man named Jean Faramond flew the French flag from the roof of his residence on the Sydney foreshore, proudly announcing a French presence in the burgeoning colony.  

This was Australia’s first foreign consulate, and Monsieur.

At that time, 1842, the majority of French people living in Australia—just a few hundred—were in Sydney. Brisbane was in its infancy, with its days as a harsh penal settlement having come to an end. Queensland did not exist at all; it would be another 17 years before this great State came into being.  

Jean Faramond’s flag—Le Tricolore, of course, which had been returned to use by King Louis-Phillipe the First, just over a decade earlier5—overlooked a hive of industry.  

Most of that activity was connected with trade on the nearby wharves. Ships plied back and forth between our two countries—that perilous odyssey across the globe by sea.  

In a few short years, business would be booming, particularly the wool trade. Australia’s journey toward modern, thriving nationhood had begun.

As we celebrate this evening, the thought of Le Tricolore on the French consul’s roof in those challenging early days seems symbolic of our long connection, one that has grown into something deeply important and precious.

It’s a timely reminder, too, that our kind hosts for this wonderful evening—the French-Australian Chamber of Commerce—were strongly involved in those first decades of international trade, having been formed by astute business people as early as 1899.

This long-held business connection does not operate in a vacuum. It brings with it many interlocking strands of connection—including language, food, wine and travel. Indeed, French has left such a mark on English itself that many of the words we use every day, from government and commerce to cuisine and culture, carry a French imprint. 

French influences are now woven so deeply into Australian life that it is difficult to imagine our proudly multicultural nation without them.   

From packed French film festivals and exhibitions8, to sporting and tourism exchanges, language learning, cookery and hospitality, Australia’s enduring affection for French culture is clear.   

The bonds we share run deep. Those early visionaries, who saw a strong future for French-Australian relations, could not have imagined the many issues we face today: challenges regarding climate change, and protection of our joint interests in the Pacific and Antarctica, to name just a couple.

As two vibrant democracies in an unsettled world, Australia and France will continue to uphold the values of liberty, equality and fraternity11, crossing new frontiers of technology and human endeavour — together. 

I wish you all a delightful evening, and Vive la France!