Scripture Union Queensland Presentation of Queensland Father of the Year Award 2017

Member for Cleveland, Dr Robinson MP; Chair of the Board, Ms Feldman; all other distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen. It is a great pleasure to join you today for Scripture Union Queensland’s Father of the Year Luncheon. I too acknowledge the traditional owners of the lands around Brisbane, the Turrbal and Jagera peoples, and extend respect greetings to Elders past and present.

Anyone who has been a father, including adoptive and foster fathers, step-fathers, and fathers in blended families, or have the good fortune, like me, to be a grandfather too, knows the challenges and great joys that this wonderful experience brings.

Millions of Australian men go about being good fathers, day in, day out, without fuss or fanfare – not forgetting tens of thousands of grandfathers who, the statistics suggest, play an increasing role with their partners in raising their grandchildren.

All these father figures provide love, support and security for children. 

They show young people what relationships of respect look like in everyday life. They demonstrate to their children and to the broader community how to pass on life skills and be resilient in the face of life’s ups and downs.

Many show their children, whether by volunteering at sport, or through other community organisations, how to give back to the community.

These fathers seldom make it into the media – certainly not as often as they should.

But the annual Father of the Year Award, now in its 58th year, gives outstanding fathers an opportunity to step into the spotlight and have their role and achievements publicly recognised.  

I thank Scripture Union Queensland for bringing that spotlight to bear by organising the Father of the Year Award every year.  

I thank the Union’s hard-working Board, Executive, staff and thousands of wonderful volunteers in Queensland for the invaluable work they do in our State through school chaplaincy and a range of other admirable programs.

I congratulate the Scripture Union on the 150th anniversary of its founding in the United Kingdom in 1867. That’s a marvellous milestone!

I look forward to presenting the Father of the Year Award for 2017 in a few moments’ time. For now, on behalf of all Queenslanders, I congratulate all the fathers nominated this year, the regional finalists and, of course, the 2017 winner, for the enormous contribution they make to strong, resilient and caring families and communities all over our State.

Thank you.