Girl Guides Queensland Annual Awards Presentation

Girls Guides Queensland State Commissioner, Mrs Kathryn Pearson; Assistant State Commissioners, Ms Amanda Nicholls, Dr Natasha Montesalvo and Ms Susan Hayes; Deputy Board Chair, Ms Mel Anderson; Chief Executive Officer, Ms Kim Harrington; Awards Coordinator, Mrs Lynne Price; staff; volunteers; supporters; Guides; and of course, award recipients, welcome.

I begin by acknowledging the original custodians of the lands on which Government House stands, the Turrbul and Jagera people, and pay respect to their Elders past and present, and emerging. I would also like to extend my respect to any First Nations people here with us today.

I am delighted to be here with you, both as the 27^th Governor of Queensland and as your proud Patron. I am also quite excited to be here to take the Girl Guide Promise, with your State Commissioner. I have been very busy practicing my salute!

I would like to take a moment to recognise that Girl Guides Queensland is the largest youth organisation for girls and young women, with almost 4,000 youth members and 1,000 volunteer Leaders and adult members.

Your mission to “empower girls and young women to discover their potential as leaders of their world,” is so important, and one that I wholeheartedly support.

I commend the Girl Guides here today, and across our State, on your commitment to the organisation and to the spirit of guiding and service.

Importantly, I also want to recognise the volunteers of Girl Guides Queensland. Organisations like yours cannot exist without the time and dedication of its volunteers, and I know from personal experience that Girl Guides have some exceptional leaders.

Ms Melissa Anderson, is here today. Mel is a former Honorary Aide-de-Camp for Government House, which formed part of her role as Detective Inspector with the Queensland Police Service. She was a fantastic help to me as I settled into life at Government House, and I know the support she provides to Girl Guides Queensland as a volunteer and now as Deputy Board Chair, is greatly appreciated. Leaders like Mel, set a great example for our girls and young women.

The primary purpose of today’s event is, of course, to congratulate the recipients of Queen’s Guide Awards, the Olave Baden-Powel Award, and the Adult Member Awards of Wattle, Flowering Gum and the Grey Kangaroo.

The setting of personal goals, culminating in the receipt of a badge, is an integral part of Guiding. I congratulate each girl and woman on the milestones she achieves on her personal guiding journey. The Awards that I am proud to present today are in recognition that that journey has been taken to its highest level.

The attainment of the Queen’s Guide Award is an exceptional achievement, and the recipients, their families, their Units and their Patrols can be justly proud.

We also have a recipient of an Olave Baden-Powel Award here today, representing the peak achievement award for Olaves and named in honour of the memory of the World Chief Guide, Lady Olave Baden-Powell, in order to keep alive her belief in the spirit of service.

Looking around the room today, I think it’s fair to say that spirit of service is, indeed, alive and well!

I thank the Award recipients for that service and dedication, and congratulate them once again on their outstanding achievement. Well done!

Now, before I make my Promise, I am proud to present this certificate of Patronage to State Commissioner Kathryn Pearson.