Honours and Awards within the Australian Honours System: Investiture Ceremony F

Ladies and gentlemen, girls and boys, it was once again my very great pleasure and privilege to present our fellow Queenslanders with the honours they received today.

I 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.

Kaye and I extend a warm welcome to the Government House Investiture Room to our recipients, as well as the valued friends, family members and colleagues who have come to share this special day with them.

No doubt it takes a strong support network to enable these high achievers to soar to the heights they have reached.

So, to the supporters here today, I’d like to also offer an acknowledgement for a job well done!

They say each person is born with a special gift, that what we do with this gift is up to us, and the opportunities we are blessed with.

To that end, I would like to talk a little about responsibility.

Responsibility is often seen as a burden.

We are told, from when we are very young, that the best years of life are those spent in blissful ignorance, without a care in the world.

But to look around this room today, at the calibre of people we honour, is to understand that this so-called home truth is, in fact, a myth.

Each of today’s recipients have been nominated because, ultimately, they ‘stepped up’, accepting the challenge and the purpose that comes with responsibility – not just for their own lives, but for the lives of others.

And just look at how much they have achieved in doing so.

The effects of their service ripples throughout the communities of Queensland, and will continue to do so for many years to come.

Today, we honour a group of 18 Queensland men and women who chose to devote their gift to fields of endeavour that have made a remarkable difference to the lives of their fellow citizens.

Kaye and I thank you – our honourees – for the work you have done in improving the lives of those fortunate enough to call our vast State home.

You represent a range of industries and endeavours, as varied as your backgrounds and interests.

Laser physics, emergency medicine, history and preservation, community health, business, hospitality, chaplaincy support and social welfare, to name but a few.

But you have in common a number of characteristics that the people of Queensland value highly – determination, compassion, tolerance, and a desire to make our society a smarter, healthier, fairer and more dynamic place for all.

The honours awarded today are a culmination of many disciplined and dedicated years of work, commitment and community service on the part of the recipients.

This is a day to reflect upon your efforts, take pride in your achievements and accept the gratitude of those fellow citizens who nominated you for this honour.

On behalf of the people of Queensland, and as the representative of our Head of State, Queen Elizabeth the Second, I thank you all most sincerely for the important contributions you have made – and indeed continue to make – to your communities.

Today, at Fernberg – your Government House, you have received some of the highest honours one can be awarded.

With that in mind, I encourage you to display the physical symbols of your awards proudly and often, so that you may inspire others in your respective communities, and beyond.

Enjoy this very special day. It belongs to you.

Kaye and I look forward to joining you for refreshments after the ceremony.

Thank you.