Dinner in support of Queensland Ballet

Good evening, all and welcome.

I begin by acknowledging the Traditional Owners of the lands around Brisbane, the Turrbal and Jagera people, and pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging, and to any First Nations people with us this evening.

I also extend apologies on Graeme’s behalf – he and our daughter Jane are currently overseas enjoying France, but I know he was very sorry to miss this dinner.

I had the great pleasure of first meeting Leanne in London in May last year when she very generously gave me a briefing and a tour of the facilities at Covent Garden, including the Royal Ballet School.

She and Tobias were also able to accept our invitation to dinner that evening before attending a performance of the Royal Ballet’s dazzling new production of Frederick Ashton’s Cinderella. It was an absolutely spell-binding night at the theatre and it revived all my childhood dreams of a life in pointe shoes!

One of the genuine pleasures of my role as Governor is the opportunity it gives me, as Vice-Regal Patron, to act as a supporter and advocate, and I am delighted to have guests here tonight from no fewer than five of my patronage organisations – not only Queensland Ballet, but our State opera company, both of our professional orchestras and the Brisbane Festival.

I am also very pleased to have this opportunity to thank Griffith University as well as some of our State’s most generous and committed philanthropists for their steadfast commitment to the Arts.

As everyone around this table knows, the Arts cannot survive, let alone thrive, without such support.

But, as amply demonstrated by the conversations and laughter around the table tonight, we have the benefit of a wonderfully collaborative arts ecosystem here in Queensland.

It’s so very different from the environment that existed when Leanne was taking her first ballet lessons with Valeria Hansen in Rockhampton, and it is therefore a particular pleasure, on behalf of all Queenslanders, to welcome her home and to wish her and Queensland Ballet every success – or should I say, “Chookas!”