Harmony Day 2022 Afternoon Tea

Distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen.

I begin by acknowledging the traditional custodians of the lands around Brisbane, the Turrbal and Jagera peoples, and extend respectful greetings to Elders, past, present and emerging.

It has been some years since we celebrated a Harmony Day event at Government House, and so Graeme and I are delighted to welcome you all here this afternoon.

In a vice-regal first, I am also proud to take on Patronage of Multicultural Australia, because your objective of a Queensland where everyone feels welcome and included complements the pledge I made when I was sworn in as Governor. I welcome Multicultural Australia’s Chair, Mr Giri Sivaraman, Directors and CEO, Ms Christine Castley today.

Today begins a week of celebrations in honour of our cultural diversity.

It also highlights the fact that everyone in this State should feel they belong, are respected, and are given the same opportunities to build stronger futures for themselves and their families.

We have certainly come a long way since the first Queensland Governor, Sir George Bowen, served his term from 1859.

Our State’s earliest female Greek immigrant was his wife, Contessa Diamantina di Roma, who was referred to then, with some awe, as “an exotic bird of paradise”.

As our State has grown and developed over the years, we have seen people from every corner of the world make Queensland home, whether they have chosen to as migrants, or have been forced to, as a result of adversity.

Each generation of migrants and refugees has contributed significantly to enhancing the fortunes of our State, particularly by bringing with them the fresh outlooks and rich cultural traditions that make our communities so much more dynamic and resilient.   

For newly arrived Queenslanders, it must be incredibly challenging to forge a life in a strange country with its unique, unfamiliar complexities.

I know many of you with us today have had to do just that, and your commitment to finding success, and then using your wisdom to guide others in your communities—is truly admirable.

And this is where Multicultural Australia has done such an amazing job over the past 22 years—welcoming and supporting more than 5,000 migrants, refugees, asylum seekers and international students who come to our State each year. It gives me great pleasure to shortly present a certificate of vice-regal patronage to Multicultural Australia’s Chair.

My gratitude and appreciation extend to all organisations represented here today, not just Multicultural Australia.

The vital work all these organisations are doing helps people settle into their new communities and find rewarding employment, but the benefits extend much further than that.

Through innovative projects and services, each of these organisations are promoting greater understanding amongst both those being helped, and also those who are welcoming new Queenslanders into their schools, workplaces, businesses and social spaces.

As Harmony Day reminds us, the word “Queenslanders” applies to everybody, regardless of cultural or linguistic background.

Graeme and I would like to thank everyone here today for your outstanding contribution to fostering these beneficial connections in our State.

We look forward to sharing more of these special occasions with you.