Dinner with Regional Mayors

Consul-General of Japan, Mr Masuo Ono and Mrs Kimu Ono; Consul of Italy, Ms Luna Marinucci; Mayors and your partners; Chief Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Officer, Ms Haylene Grogan; CEO of Health and Wellbeing Queensland, Dr Robyn Littlewood; Queensland AgriFutures award winner, Ms Emma Gibbons; distinguished guests, good evening.

I begin by acknowledging the original custodians of the lands around Brisbane, the Turrbal and Jagera people, and pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging.

Graeme and I are so pleased you could join us this evening, and welcome you all to Government House.

This dinner gives us the opportunity to acknowledge and thank each of you for your passionate commitment to the communities you serve.

Your roles and responsibilities—different though they may be—require flexibility, innovation, and a deep sense of the importance of forming strong connections—whether they are within a region, traverse the State, or extend across the seas.

Firstly tonight, we welcome and farewell the Consul-General of Japan and good friend of Government House, Mr Masuo Ono, who is soon to leave his post in Brisbane. Thank you, Mr Ono, for strengthening the cultural and business ties between Japan and Queensland, and for supporting the almost 30 sister-city relationships we now share.

My thanks, also to the Consul of Italy—Ms Luna Angelini Marinucci—for expanding our bilateral friendship. The diverse involvement and influence of Italian Queenslanders—which accelerated from the late 1800s as immigrants made new homes in North Queensland—continues to enhance and enliven communities right across our State.

I know that the four Queensland regional Mayors joining us this evening—all of whom I’ve had the honour of meeting previously—would agree that building vibrant, thriving communities and forming such powerful connections relies greatly on talking with and listening to those around you.

Day and night, in good times and bad, you are out and about in your regions—striving to improve the places where people live, work and play. You provide guidance in times of tragedy, and the leadership to tackle difficult issues.

You bring to your position valuable skills developed through careers outside local government, and enrich it with profound civic understanding, and I commend you—with sincere respect—for your incredible efforts.

Ms Haylene Grogan, as Chief Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Officer, works closely with many of the Councils represented here in coordinating Health Services to their communities, while Dr Robyn Littlewood, who leads Health and Wellbeing Queensland, seeks to make meaningful impacts within those communities as well.

I also recognise the contribution of your partners, families and friends, who support you in your busy, complex roles.

Tonight, as we enjoy the delicious Queensland produce and wines that make us so proud, we can also reflect on our State’s amazing entrepreneurial spirit, represented here by Ms Emma Gibbons, recent winner of the Queensland AgriFutures Award. Congratulations Emma!

I believe it is so important to acknowledge how much the connections you are encouraging help all Queenslanders lead more fulfilling and much richer lives.

So, with Graeme, and on behalf of all Queenslanders, I again express my gratitude, and look forward to spending a lovely evening in your company.