Honours and Awards within the Australian Honours System North Queensland Investiture Ceremony, Townsville

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls.

I begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the lands on which we gather, and pay respect to their Elders past and present – with encouragement to their young emerging leaders.

Today, Kaye and I congratulate each of our awards recipients, and warmly welcome your families and friends, as we share this important ceremony. We are pleased to be back in wonderful Townsville, where we are impressed by your region’s ongoing enthusiasm and unity in the face of the recent flood disaster.  Thank you for opening your hearts to us again.

Indeed, it is this same community spirit, evident in today’s citations, that helps build stronger societies—not just in our own local neighbourhoods, but also in places far away.

Today, we have a group of people with us, who through dedication, and inquisitiveness, have sought to serve others by going far beyond expectations. Your outstanding achievements are clearly the fruit of great optimism and commitment.

It is obvious, from listening to your accomplishments, how each of you have energetically embraced your areas of focus, involving yourselves either in a varied range of activities, or by demonstrating true and long-standing loyalty. 

In doing so, you have helped to forge new paths, yet also worked to ensure the strength of those that already existed.

Each of you is being acknowledged today, under our Australian system of honours and awards, for excellence, achievement or meritorious service, and contributions to our society.

I am reassured by the enormous variety of areas in which your awards have been earned.

This diversity ensures your positive influence has a greater effect, and helps to make our state stronger, and a better place to live. 

Today we are honoring those of you serving your communities, either directly in your local regions, or by involvement in social welfare initiatives, with charities, and other organisations.

We are commending those serving humanitarian efforts, community health, education and sport…and those who have focused on military service.

This list is impressive, because regardless of your field of focus and action, each of you has applied your talents to improving the lives of others, whether this is directly tangible, or represents a positive effect we can never accurately measure. 

At this point, I feel it is also fitting to thank your family and friends who have doubtless provided support to you along the way.

We are all well aware that their love and assistance has helped you achieve so highly.

Our state needs optimists, such as you. We need people who will take chances, think innovatively, push the boundaries, and involve themselves in a range of initiatives.

We also need people who will remain loyal to their local communities, working hard to make our neighbourhoods more vibrant and connected.

You can showcase the enthusiasm you share, by wearing your pins and medals with pride. While the people you meet in your day-to-day lives may differ, giving others the chance to hear your stories of excellence can encourage everyone. 

And this encouragement helps to cultivate a new generation of confident achievers, who will become vital for Queensland as we continue to grow and develop.

As the Queen’s representative in this state, I am privileged to be able to present you with your awards in person today, and on behalf of all Queenslanders, whole-heartedly congratulate you. I commend you for contributing so remarkably to benefitting our corner of the world, and beyond.

Thank you.