2024 Queensland Sport Awards and Hall of Fame Induction

Minister for Sport and Racing and Minister for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Honourable Tim Mander MP; Deputy Mayor, Brisbane City Council, Councillor Krista Adams; QSport Chair Mr Ben Callard and CEO Mr Tim Klar, partners and sponsors; award recipients and Hall of Fame inductees; distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen.

I thank Tribal Experiences for the Welcome to Country, and I begin by also acknowledging the Original Custodians of the lands around Brisbane, the Turrbal and Jagera people, and pay my respects to their Elders past, present and emerging and to all First Nations people with us tonight.

Graeme and I are so thrilled to be part of this special event, which celebrates the achievements of the individuals, teams and organisations who make Queensland such an incredible state for sport.

Tonight’s awards ceremony recognises both those who participate in, and those who support organised sport, and the impressive list of contenders in each category, truly highlights the talents and scope of Queensland’s offering.

Regardless of whether you are an athlete, or working hard behind the scenes—in paid positions or as volunteers—you each make an extremely valuable contribution to your fields, and to the outstanding excellence of our wider sporting reputation, and I congratulate you all for being selected.

This year’s judging period encompasses Paris 2024, which Graeme and I were so fortunate to attend.

We were not shy about loudly cheering on Queenslanders whenever we could, going to swimming, skateboarding and equestrian events, and seeing the Hockeyroos in action. It made us so proud to be there—applauding our top athletes, those who trained and inspired them, and those who took part in official duties that made the Games such a success.

While it was immensely gratifying to see Queensland shine so brilliantly on the global stage, the true power of sport is that it can be enjoyed by anyone, anywhere.

This is not only so beneficial for improving physical health, and enhancing overall wellbeing, but importantly, sporting activities encourage social inclusion—a valuable opportunity to share experiences as a community, and bring people together with a tremendous sense of purpose—on and off the field.

In fact, motivating others to follow their dreams is at the heart of sport in our country—a deep sense of comradery, inclusion and optimism—and as we look towards the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, I know that this spirit of fellowship will continue to help drive remarkable people—like those nominated tonight—who will have an ongoing positive influence on others.

I commend QSport’s Board, Executive, staff, and members for working so hard to promote the benefits of sport in this state, as well as the many generous sponsors and partners who make events like this possible.

Finally, I again congratulate all those nominated for and receiving awards tonight, including those being inducted into the Hall of Fame and, of course, our state’s newest Legend! You enrich and enliven our state.