Reception for the Centre for Australia-India Relations Advisory Board

Minister for Finance, Trade, Employment and Training, the Honourable Ros Bates MP; Minister for Women and Women’s Economic Security, Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships and Minister for Multiculturalism, the Honourable Fiona Simpson MP; Consul-General of India in Queensland, Ms Neetu Bhaagotia; Centre for Australia-India Relations, Advisory Board Chair Ms Swati Dave, members of the Advisory Board, and CEO Mr Tim Thomas; Trade and Investment Queensland CEO, Mr Justin McGowan; 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 Elders past, present and emerging, and to any First Nations people here this evening.

As Governor, it is my privilege to speak for all Queenslanders and, on their behalf, I am very pleased to welcome you all here tonight and to extend a warm Brisbane welcome to the members of the Advisory Board of the Centre for Australia-India Relations and other interstate guests.

Back in January, I was delighted to receive a request from the Centre’s CEO Mr Thomas, to host a reception while the Advisory Board was meeting in Brisbane this week. It could not have come at a more fortuitous time – just days later, Graeme and I joined the Indian community to celebrate Republic Day and, within weeks, we joined Queensland’s highly successful Trade Mission to India.

It was also barely a month after the impressive Australia-India Sport Innovation Summit at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, and just two months after the official opening of India’s new Consulate-General here in Brisbane.

In short, it was clear that Queensland’s relationship with India was not just alive and well, but thriving, and that this was an opportune time for me, as Governor, to give my support to the growing number of partnerships, collaborations and cultural links across multiple sectors in India and Queensland.

Participation in our State’s trade delegation to India with Minister Bates was an excellent opportunity for me to do that, and I was greatly impressed by what I saw. In just one week, we visited New Delhi, Hyderabad and Bengaluru; had very productive meetings with leaders in information technology, aerospace and business; and attended the impressive Opening Ceremony of BioAsia 2025.

The guests here tonight clearly demonstrate the breadth of Queensland’s relationship with India.

There are local, State and federal government representatives; trail-blazing entrepreneurs; thought-leaders from our universities and cultural institutions; State and national leaders of the Australia India Business Council; and representatives of State sporting bodies.

It is rare to see a gathering with such potential to expand the existing links between India and our State and I hope you will all seize the opportunity to explore future possibilities.

I want to take this opportunity to congratulate the Centre on its impressive progress since its launch in May 2023. Within a very short time, the team had an ambitious three-year Strategic Plan in place, enabling diverse stakeholders to reframe the Australia-India relationship and identify fresh opportunities for collaboration.

With its four central pillars and a transformative agenda, the plan is characterised by the exceptionally broad scope of activity the Centre undertakes and supports.

The innovative Maitri program is an excellent example. In less than two years, it has already provided 12 fellowships and scholarships and no fewer than 25 valuable grants including one that enabled one of tonight’s guests, Dr Benjamin Knapton, to work with traditional Indian physical theatre performers in staging a thrilling production which premiered at the Royal Opera House in Mumbai in November.

The Mumbai project is a great example of the extraordinary things that can happen when an organisation dares to embrace and support bold, creative ideas.

That open attitude clearly lies at the heart of the Centre’s goal of becoming a business catalyst and developing supportive communities and stronger cultural connections, and I wish everyone at the Centre well for continued success. Thank you.