Reception in Support of International Women's Day

The Honourable Chief Justice Catherine Holmes; my illustrious predecessor, Queensland’s 22nd Governor and the first woman to hold Vice Regal office in Queensland, Ms Leneen Forde AC; Judges; Members of the Legislative Assembly; Mayors; Distinguished Guests,

Good afternoon and welcome to Government House – indeed, against expectations, to the Drawing Room.  I see that the media this morning spoke of a “grand garden” - I am afraid the investiture lawn was just too damp, allowing for all our shoes.

Now may I at once acknowledge the traditional owners of the  land, and, express my respect to elders past and present, and, in doing so, acknowledge the enormously important role Indigenous women may play, are playing, especially in our remoter communities.   

It is always a genuine pleasure for Kaye and me to host this annual reception in celebration of International Women’s Day and to welcome so many of the Queensland women making a profound and lasting difference in our State.

It is now more than a century since the world first saw rallies and heard women’s demands for an end to discrimination and for the right to work and vote.

Fast-forward to today and many battles for equality, sadly, are still being fought.

Despite the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in the nineties; and despite the Millennium Development Goals this century, women, globally, are still more than twice as likely to be unemployed than men; they are still concentrated in lower-paid, lower-skill work; and violence against women and girls is now a global scourge from which our Queensland community is most certainly not exempt.

It is a profoundly concerning picture, but women, and the men who support them, are not letting their voices fall silent.

In the past year, we have seen the flame of activism ignite a new generation, with many thousands of younger women and men responding to social media calls to march, to speak out and to act in support of women’s rights.

Queensland women can be grateful that we have so many dedicated agents of change, many of them here today, who are working to achieve long-term change through persistent action and advocacy.

And I remind each of you, this International Women’s Day, when you find yourself admiring the achievements of one of these trailblazers, to consider nominating them for an Award in the Order of Australia, so that our entire community can celebrate their accomplishments. That is something I respectfully urge upon you.

I congratulate and thank every one of you for the contribution you have made - and continue to make - to improving the status of women in our State and our nation.

Happy International Women’s Day!