Launch of True Relationships and Reproductive Health Exhibition, part of Extraordinary Stories

Member for Waterford, the Honourable Shannon Fentiman MP; Member for Bulimba, the Honourable Ms Di Farmer MP; Chair, True Relationships and Reproductive Health, Ms Christine Ip, and Chief Executive Officer, Ms Donna Bonney; Founding Member, Family Planning Queensland, Mrs June Morris; distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen. 

I begin by acknowledging 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 today.   

It is a great pleasure, as Patron of True Relationships and Reproductive Health, to join you here in the wonderful Philip Bacon Heritage Gallery to celebrate the opening of the True Relationships and Reproductive Health display—part of the Library’s Extraordinary Stories exhibition. 

As Governor of Queensland, it’s gratifying to see the extent to which this exhibition honours the people and organisations whose stories have shaped our state's social fabric.  

Indeed, the story of True—formerly Family Planning Queensland—is one of our state’s most quietly transformative. It is the story of 50 years of determined, forward-thinking, frank and seemingly fearless commitment to the sexual and reproductive health of Queenslanders.  

I’m all too aware that access to accurate, timely, and judgment-free information is not, and has never been, a luxury—it is a necessity. However, in the early 1970s, when the Family Planning Association of Queensland was formed, such information was scarce. Sex education was limited, contraception difficult to obtain, and open conversations about reproductive health were often taboo.  

The need was urgent—Queensland had the highest teenage pregnancy rate in the country. 

Into this environment stepped a group of extraordinary individuals—doctors, educators, and advocates—who believed that everyone deserved the right to make informed decisions about their bodies and their futures.  

Their courage and conviction laid the foundation for what would become a statewide network of clinics, education programs, and counselling services. 

This display brings that journey to life. Through photographs, pamphlets, posters, and personal stories, it charts the evolution of an organisation that has not only provided care, but also challenged stigma, empowered communities, and shaped public health policy. 

In 2024, True entrusted its extensive archive to the State Library, ensuring that this vital history is preserved and shared.  

It is a gift to Queensland—a reminder of how far we’ve come, and how important it is to keep moving forward. 

To the Board, staff, volunteers, and supporters of True: thank you. Your work has changed lives, and your story—now part of this extraordinary collection—will continue to inspire and inform for generations to come. 

I am happy to declare this excellent exhibit open. 

And I would also like to present this certificate of patronage to True Relationships and Reproductive Health. 

Thank you for all that you do.