Chinese Club of Queensland Chinese New Year Dinner: 'Year of the Dog'

President, Patron, our Premier, members of the Executive Council, Your Honour, Leader of the Opposition, Lord Mayor of Brisbane, Consul General, many distinguished guests, including the Police Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen,

I thank the Chinese Club of Queensland for again inviting Kaye and me to this wonderful annual celebration. 

I was delighted to receive the enthusiastic invitation from the Club’s indefatigable Secretary and Treasurer, Mr Frank Liu, although his letter gave me food for thought.   

First, Frank advised that people born in the Year of the Dog included the late, rightly venerated, Eddie Liu.  It goes without saying that is an excellent recommendation.

But Frank also advised that people born in the Year of the Dog made excellent judges. I spent 29 years as a judge but I was born in the Year of the Rat. It seems I was in the wrong profession for most of my working life.

It’s a little late, however, to contemplate a career change but, out of curiosity, I looked up careers that were better suited to my birth year. 

I was relieved to find that ‘lawyer’ was among them. But so was ‘stand-up comedian’.  I’m absolutely sure I could have raised a laugh by telling my family that I was contemplating a career in stand-up comedy.  But unfortunately, it would have been all downhill from there.  I’m glad I stuck with the law. 

On a more serious note, this festive event celebrates not only Chinese New Year, but also the enormous contribution that the Chinese community of Queensland has made to our State over more than a century and a half. 

We see that prominent contribution in many areas of endeavour, from sport to the arts, from business to politics, in the sciences and medicine, even in the food we eat.  

It is a contribution which I acknowledge tonight, with great gratitude, on behalf of all Queenslanders.    

The Chinese Club of Queensland has long played a prominent role in supporting and promoting the contributions of Chinese Australians to our community – for 65 years in fact.

I heartily congratulate the Club on reaching this truly marvellous milestone. 

I thank and congratulate the Club’s President, Directors and members for their continuing commitment to the Chinese Australian community in Queensland – and for their warm hospitality this evening.     

It remains for me, on this auspicious occasion, and with great pleasure, to wish everyone a successful, productive, and happy Year of the Dog.

Thank you.