King's Birthday Celebratory Dinner for the Golden Anniversary of the Order of Australia

Deputy Premier, Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning and Minister for Industrial Relations, the Honourable Jarrod Bleijie MP; Chair of The Order of Australia Association, Queensland Branch, Ms Rhonda Nix OAM; Major General Professor John Pearn AO RFD; Lady Mayoress, Ms Nina Schrinner; Branch Committee and Members of The Order of Australia Association, Queensland; Australian Honours and Awards recipients; distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen.

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 any First Nations people here this evening.

Graeme and I are delighted to be with you tonight and, as Patron of the Order of Australia Association in Queensland, I take this opportunity to congratulate and thank the Executive and Committee of the Association for organising and hosting this unique double celebration marking both the golden anniversary of the establishment of the Australian system of honours and awards––and you will find, on the table in front of you, a special Government House coin struck to commemorate this 50-year anniversary––and the official birthday of the Sovereign Head of the Order of Australia, King Charles the Third.

Celebrating the official birthday of a Monarch is not as simple as it may seem and, here in Queensland, the day for that commemoration has changed several times over the 50 years since the Australian Honours system was established by our beloved late Queen Elizabeth the Second.

Since 2016, the public holiday for the Monarch’s birthday in Queensland has been on the first Monday in October, but the second Monday in June has continued to be significant because, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth the Second, that was Her Majesty’s official birthday in the UK, celebrated with the magnificent Trooping of Colours.

However, since 2023 in the UK, the King’s official birthday has been celebrated on the third Monday of June. Whether Queensland or other Australian States and Territories will also change to the third Monday of June is a matter for conjecture, but whatever King Charles does, speculation has already begun that Prince William, on his accession, may abandon the 300-year-old, two-birthday tradition altogether and celebrate his official birthday on his actual birthday: the 21^st of June.

Whatever the official date of our King’s birthday, it is an occasion for us to remember and honour the role British monarchs have played in Australia’s history, and their importance today in ensuring stable government at both state and national level, and in supporting and encouraging a focus on continuity, tradition, social cohesion and the values of trust, respect, and inclusivity.

The Order of Australia Association has been important in maintaining that focus and I congratulate the Association on all that it has done, since it was established 45 years ago, to celebrate and promote outstanding Australian citizenship.

It is rare for any community-based organisation of volunteers to reach such a milestone. More than a third typically dissolve within the first five years, and those that do survive, often face challenges of leadership transition, internal conflict, low membership, lack of strategic direction, or irrelevance. It is only those with strong governance, committed members, and a clear social role that survive beyond twenty years.

The Association, Australia wide, is committed to continuing to be robust, flexible and responsive to members’ needs, and I commend the Queensland branch on its consistent efforts to engage with communities throughout the State.

I also commend the branch on initiatives such as the Secondary Schools Citizenship Awards which are helping to build a future generation committed to community service. Such efforts not only increase awareness of our unique society of honour but encourage others to nominate worthy recipients.

At first glance, it may appear that the only thing that members of the Order of Australia Association have in common is that they have been awarded one of the five honours of the order.

But dig deeper and it’s clear that every one of them, including the many here tonight, has become a member because they believe in what they can do, as volunteers, to advance the founding mission of the Association.

Long may you continue!