International Volunteer Day 2024 Morning Tea

Chief Executive Officer, Volunteering Queensland, Ms Jane Hedger; Board Members and staff; Volunteers — including of course our magnificent Government House cohort; distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen.

I begin by 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 any First Nations people here this morning.

Graeme and I feel immensely grateful for the opportunity to celebrate International Volunteer Day with you.

Please consider this morning tea a small token of our appreciation for all that you do for others, each and every day, across Queensland.

As Governor and Patron of Volunteering Queensland, it fills me with such pride whenever I hear of the many contributions you are making in organisations and communities across Queensland.

The work undertaken by our volunteers is uplifting and inspiring. It is also crucial to the social and economic health of our state, and a gift of such value that it seems incredible we can put a figure on it.

Of course, thanks to the good accounting and tireless advocacy of Volunteering Queensland, we know that in financial terms, the value to the state of volunteering in 2024 was close to 118-billion dollars.

This is despite a slight decline in numbers of volunteers in recent years, something I know the organisation is keen to address — and I am eager to do what I can do to help you in that regard.

On the absolute plus side — and thanks again to Volunteering Queensland’s reporting of statistics — we know that 2.8 million people aged 15 and above in the State volunteered in some capacity this year.

This is proof positive that Queenslanders have a heart for volunteering, and one that is beating strongly and in sync with the needs of our communities.

Graeme and I offer our heartfelt thanks to all of you on behalf of all Queenslanders.

We look forward to hearing more about your experiences of volunteering over a cuppa and some morning tea.