19 February

On Friday, in the morning, at Government House, His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC and Mrs Kaye de Jersey hosted a ceremony for the presentation of the Address-in-Reply to the Governor’s Opening Speech delivered at the First Session of the 55^th Parliament of Queensland, to which the Governor responded. The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland, the Honourable Peter Wellington MP invited the Minister for Innovation, Science and the Digital Economy, Minister for Small Business, the Honourable Leeanne Enoch MP to present the Address on behalf of the Queensland Parliament. Other Members of Parliament present included: Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Minister for Training and Skills, the Honourable Yvette D’Ath MP; Minister for Transport and the Commonwealth Games, the Honourable Stirling Hinchliffe MP; Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations, Minister for Racing, Minister for Multicultural Affairs, the Honourable Grace Grace MP; Member for Townsville, Mr Scott Steward MP; Member for Bulimba, Ms Di Farmer MP; and Member for Mackay, Mrs Julieanne Gilbert MP. Members were accompanied by Clerk of the Queensland Parliament, Mr Neil Laurie and Sergeant-at-Arms of the Queensland Parliament, Mr Michael Watkins.

Read the Governor's response to the presentation of the Address-in-Reply here.

In the evening, at the Lyric Theatre, Queensland Performing Arts Centre, the Governor and Mrs de Jersey attended The Australian Ballet’s Brisbane premiere of Alexei Ratmansky’s ‘Cinderella’, followed by a post-performance reception.