Australian Honours and Awards & Bravery Decorations

Kaye and I are truly delighted to welcome you all to Government House for this very special morning.

I at once acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we gather, the Turrbul and Jagera people, and pay respect to their Elders past and present – with encouragement to their young emerging leaders.

I extend a special welcome to our most honoured guests – the recipients of the Australian Police Medal, and those receiving Australian Bravery Decorations under the Australian honours system.

I am also proud to acknowledge the many families, friends and colleagues who join us at Fernberg today to share this important occasion.

Welcome.

Today we are honouring a total of 23 men and women for the good they have done – and continue to do – for the community, both as members of the Queensland Police Service, and as civilians from across the State.

As a personal representative of Her Majesty The Queen, it is always a wonderful honour to present these decorations on her behalf, and it is also a distinct privilege to meet the exceptional Queenslanders – the selfless men and women – who have received their honours.

Australia has a sophisticated system of honours and awards which acknowledges citizens for excellence, achievement or meritorious service and contributions to our society.

And so today we honour men and women from all walks of life.

While some of you wear an official service uniform, and some do not, you are all Queenslanders who share the endearing qualities of commitment, dedication and leadership. These qualities unite you, and bring you here today.

To our Australian Police Medal recipients – I thank you for your outstanding service to the State, from our rural, regional and remote communities, to our major cities and metropolitan areas.

Your unshakable sense of professionalism, integrity and enthusiasm is a credit to you all, and indeed to the uniform you represent. All aspects of policing in our State are enhanced by your collective actions, abilities and attributes.

I also congratulate you all wholeheartedly for your ongoing work in your respective communities, and also for your willingness to lead, educate and inform the next generation of men and women from the Queensland Police Service. Thank you.

To the recipients of Australian Bravery Decorations – it is difficult to find a definition that truly describes your courage as you put yourselves in jeopardy to protect the lives and property of others.

We can’t even begin to imagine, those of us who weren’t there, the circumstances in which you instinctively knew that the moment for action had come – that the life of another was certainly as important, if not more important, than your own.

I acknowledge that many of the incidents for which you are honoured today had a sad ending, and understand the deep emotional stress and the physical pain and injury that is often etched into the lives of the rescuer, the rescued, and their respective families.

Today, at your Government House, we celebrate the capacity of ordinary people to do extraordinary things.

We demonstrate the love and support of your community, and your State.

I congratulate and thank all of you here, on behalf of all Queenslanders, and look forward to speaking to you at the reception following this ceremony.

And so as Governor of Queensland, I wish to emphasise how incredibly proud we are of you.

Your selfless actions reaffirm our faith in each other, and in the highest values of our community.

Thank you for what you have done for all of us.