Friends of Asia Pacific General Assembly Reception

Her Majesty Queen Azizah of Pahang, the Royal Patron of Friends of Asia Pacific World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts; Chair of FAPW, Mrs Lynne Price AM; Country Coordinators of Australia, Cambodia, the Cook Islands, Fiji, Korea, Malaysia, the Maldives, and the Philippines; Chief Commissioner, Girl Guides Australia, Dr Helen Reid; State Commissioner, Girl Guides Queensland, Ms Susan Hayes; supporters and friends. 

I acknowledge the Original Custodians of the lands around Brisbane, the Turrbul and Jagera people, and pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging, and to any First Nations people here today.  

Good morning, everyone –welcome to Government House and, for many of you here this morning, to Queensland and to Australia!  

As Governor of this State, and as Patron of Girl Guides Queensland, I extend a particularly warm welcome to Her Majesty and offer my respects to her as a former Queen of Malaysia and as the Royal Patron of the Association. It is an honour to have you and your accompanying party here. 

I regret that Dato’ Dr Juseon Byun is unable to be here for the very first General Assembly ever held in Australia. In her absence I ask that Mrs Price, as Chair of Association, convey my thanks for her exceptional generosity as the founder–and for her commitment to the organisation and to Guiding for the past 27 years.  

Dr Byun is a true visionary.  

In 1999, on the eve of a new century, she saw that although Guiding had enjoyed a presence in the Asia Pacific for almost 90 years, something more than passion and voluntary effort was needed. If the movement was to truly thrive and help more girls fulfill their potential, financial support was essential. Her far-sighted but very pragmatic solution was to establish both the Friends of the Asia Pacific and the Juseon Byun Leadership Fund.  

Over the last 27 years, together with generous members like you, and with the tireless support of Queen Azizah as Royal Patron, the organisation has grown to almost two-and-a-half-thousand members. It has also raised the equivalent of almost one million Australian dollars to enable girls and young women in the Asia Pacific region to become competent and confident leaders and to gain essential life skills. This is an exceptional outcome, of which you can all be immensely proud. 

Some of you may know that before my appointment as Governor almost five years ago, I had a long career as a doctor and medical administrator. The focus on community wellbeing that guided me throughout those years has continued into my current role. 

So, it has been particularly pleasing to see the Association develop and implement projects like Reach Out and 3L: Life Long Learning, with their focus on capacity-building as a means of tackling the health and welfare issues that are critically important for young women and girls. 

The partnerships created through these projects have brought Member Organisations and individual members together. They have also fulfilled a fundamental objective of Guiding: building bridges of understanding between diverse member nations.  

With its theme of ‘Strengthening the Future’, I know the 8th General Assembly will be guided and inspired by those same ideals of international understanding and cooperation.  

I thank the outgoing Working Group members for their contribution and wish the new Group well for the three years until you gather for the 9th General Assembly.  

Thank you once again for joining me this morning. I look forward to hearing from you all about the vital work you are doing to build a better world for the young women and girls of the Asia Pacific.

With Girl Guides and Girl Scouts reaching a phenomenal total of 4.5 million girls and young women in this region, the future is in good hands.