Luncheon for Outstanding Young Queensland Contributors

Good afternoon and welcome to Government House. Kaye and I are so pleased you can join us today.

This is the first luncheon we have held here at Government House for outstanding youngQueensland contributors: we plan for there to be many more.

Even though this lunch venue is steeped in history, the intention of our gathering is really all about the future.

You are here because you have been nominated as leaders in your fields of endeavour.

We need not be coy: your being here is quite an achievement. I am mindful, however, that this might invoke a sense of pressure.

I understand this feeling very well – after all, I am the 26^th Governor of Queensland, and representative here of The Queen as our Head of State.

You would imagine some weight of expectation attends that role.

But it provides me with an enormous privilege: to represent the people of this great State.

It also allows Kaye and me to attend events where we meet with Queenslanders like you, who are rising to your own challenges with great tenacity and success. And you do that across such a dizzying array of fields: medicine and research, education, the arts, sport, public administration, the law, defence and public safety, and commerce. I am very glad some of Government House’s own young leaders are here also today.

Today we are told to expect that young people will change careers several times in their lives.

This may or may not apply to you.

But wherever your path leads you, remember to continue giving of your very best.

You have clearly done so to this point, so I encourage you to keep that attitude thriving.

I also commend you for the contribution you have already made to your community, as well as your professional journey.

Kaye and I hope you regard this experience, in the context of your personal achievement to date, as exceptional.