Investiture Ceremony 15 May 2024, 2pm

Representing the Leader of the Opposition, Member for Burleigh, Mr Michael Hart MP; representing the Acting Commissioner of the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, Acting Deputy Commissioner John Cawcutt AFSM; Queensland Ambulance Service Commissioner Craig Emery ASM; representing the Queensland Corrective Services Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner Gary McCahon; representing the Chair of The Order of Australia Association, Queensland Branch, Dr Dennis Young AM; award recipients, your family and friends; distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen; boys and girls.

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

I warmly welcome you all to Government House, for this afternoon’s Investiture Ceremony. As Governor and the representative of His Majesty King Charles III in this State, I am proud to preside over this special occasion, which is an important opportunity for us all to acknowledge and celebrate the outstanding service and contributions of our country’s great achievers.

Many of the awardees today have received recognition for meritorious service to the public, through their work within our State’s public service, our Fire and Emergency Services including our Rural Fire Brigade, our Ambulance and Corrective Services, our Volunteer Coastguard Association, and with Surf Life Saving Queensland.

These awards have the wonderful objective of honouring those who far exceed the requirements of their roles—who distinguish themselves by their dedication to improving the services, programs, and processes that make our State function, with efficiency, but also with compassion.

Today’s meritorious service awards honour those who face hazardous challenges and emergencies with courage and dedication, prepared to risk their own lives to save others.

And we also honour those who have contributed to our State’s vocational education, to neonatal medicine, to animal welfare and biosecurity, to the environment and physical sciences, to public prosecutions, and to transport and road safety.

What defines your contributions—despite your differences—is how you put people first, how everything you do, both within your workplaces and out into the public arena, ensures that the initiatives and advice you generate, is the result of collaboration—delivered with integrity, and reflecting the needs of those you serve.

This afternoon, we also recognise individuals whose efforts have advanced their communities, whether it be through music, medical administration and health, or by enhancing the lives of women.

Your work takes dedication and determination, and has made such a positive, demonstrable difference to the lives of others, that your achievements have been put forward to the Order of Australia, to ensure you can be recognised publicly for this important contribution—which also means that today you join an elite and deeply valued group of Australians.

Each of you here in this room, regardless of where you direct your energies, is helping to strengthen and improve our society.

Whether this work takes place in one of our public institutions, or out in the community, you are defined by the importance you place on building stronger relationships with others.

As valued leaders, the connections you encourage place a value on diversity, on different opinions and outlooks, and exemplify a deep sense of professionalism.  

Significantly, you are also driven to share your wisdom and expertise, through formal training and education and by mentoring those following in your footsteps, and I know you give this willingly, and enthusiastically, because you are so passionate about what you do.

This is tremendously uplifting, not just for me—although I have to say conferring these awards is one of my favourite Vice-Regal duties—but for our entire State, and country.

You each are helping ordinary Queenslanders have access to extraordinary services, when and where they are most needed, and you are also helping to enrich and enliven our communities.

You have earned our State’s and nation’s deepest respect, and I therefore encourage you to wear these medals and decorations with pride.

On behalf of all Queenslanders, I commend, congratulate, and thank you for your altruistic service.

Please enjoy this well-deserved chance to be applauded.