Honours and Awards within the Australian Honours System - Investiture Ceremony (D) for Residents of Queensland

The Honourable Steven Miles MP and Mrs Tarnya Smith MP, representing our Premier and Opposition Leader; official guests; our recipients and their proud families and friends. Kaye and I are delighted to share this very special day with you at Government House – as I am sure is police recruit dog Gavel, who, I am reliably informed, will make another appearance shortly on the Investiture Lawn. We all at Government House hope that you find the experience as inspiring and enjoyable as we do.   

I know and understand that families and friends here today have been focusing on “their” awardee, listening for the citation that briefly lists their marvellous achievements, seeing their award formally presented, and applauding with particular enthusiasm.

I am sure also that you have also been listening carefully to all the citations read out by the Official Secretary today – as have the many friends and family watching via “livestreaming”.

This is important because, taken together, these citations tell us a fascinating, uplifting, and absolutely true story about Queensland.

As each individual awardee has stepped forward today, he or she has added a chapter to that remarkable narrative. 

This is particularly – poignantly – so of Mr Colin Bevan, who sadly passed away on Saturday last at the John Flynn Hospital, just days short of today’s significant ceremony. He made it to 95. I was honoured to present his OAM to his wife, Mrs Carol Bevan, moments ago – what a fitting tribute today is, recognising his many decades of service to community safety and crime prevention.

The stories of all our recipients have taken us to places all over our State, from the Torres Strait to the Gold Coast.  

It has told us about the extraordinary variety of ways in which individuals contribute to their communities. 

We have heard today of careers being dedicated to meeting challenges in three major health areas – physiotherapy, and respiratory diseases and mental health in young people.

We became aware of long-term contributions to safety on our beaches, to Queensland’s economic development, to the health needs of the Australian Defence Force, to the strength of our State’s business sector, and to the growth of one of Queensland’s major regional universities. 

We learned of long-term dedication to the local government and broader community needs of the people of the Torres Straight and Aurukun.

We discovered individuals who have given dedicated service to their communities in the fields of maritime law, aviation history, Scouting, credit unions, choral music, and crime prevention, and who have served, with distinction, veterans and their families, the Anglican Church, Lions clubs, the Greek community, and young people with a disability.

We learned of dedicated work in the public service in the areas of local government and the economic development of our State.

But there are the gaps in the story that we have to fill for ourselves. We have to imagine how many lives have been changed for the better, directly or indirectly, by the actions and achievements of the men and women in the seats to my left and right. It is surely a very big number!

And we need to contemplate how the example set by today’s awardees inspires others to emulate them, increasing the already substantial benefit to the community many times over.

The individual stories of today’s awardees add up to one even bigger story – of how characteristics like care and compassion, dedication, generosity, a fierce work ethic, and a commitment to excellence, are embodied in and woven through our communities. 

And, in turn, how this adds to the well-being, strength and resilience of communities everywhere in our State.    

I regret that this wonderful narrative is not eligible for the Nobel Prize for Literature. But we are no less proud and delighted to see its authors honoured today through the conferral of prestigious national honours and awards.

As Governor of Queensland, I, along with Kaye, congratulate today’s awardees and wholeheartedly thank them for the magnificent contributions they have made to our communities, just as I thank awardees’ families, friends and colleagues for the unstinting support they have provided along the way.    

Yours are stories that deserve to be told many times over to enlighten and inspire others.  Please do just that!

Thank you – enjoy your day!