Mount Isa Emergency Services Afternoon Tea

Thank you, Mr Everden, for your kind welcome and introduction this afternoon.

It has been a great honour to tour the Police and Fire Stations in Mount Isa today and meet so many dedicated first responders. I look forward to meeting many more emergency services personnel, including from the SES and the Queensland Ambulance Service, at this afternoon tea.

Kaye and I are based in Mount Isa this week, for Regional Government House.

The essence of the exercise is to conduct Government House operations for a week from a regional centre, to replicate so far as possible in the regional centre what would otherwise happen in the capital.

My central community mission, as Governor, is to thank and acknowledge the efforts of Queenslanders which bind and unite our State.

Yours is a difficult mission. You can be called upon to attend road crashes, to oversee hazardous materials management, to guarantee law and order and to help, more generally, communities in need, whatever that need may be, including conducting swift water rescues – as I know many of you did earlier this year.

In fulfilling your missions, you display those personal qualities which denote your noble professions, and volunteer endeavours, as exceptional: courage in the face of danger, cool-headedness in the face of crisis, an unwavering dedication to serving one’s community.

You do our State proud indeed. I thank you all for your attendance, and I wish you every personal and professional success here in Mount Isa.