Reception in support of the ANZAC Day Parade Brisbane Committee & Volunteers

ANZAC Day Parade Brisbane Chair, Mr Kerry Gallagher AM; Committee Members and volunteers; 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 today.

Graeme and I are delighted to welcome you all to Government House this afternoon.

As Patron of the ANZAC Day Parade Brisbane, along with the ANZAC Day Commemoration Committee and the RSL League Australia in this state, it is my privilege to support organisations that honour and assist veterans and their families, and who recognise the immense contribution our servicemen and women make to preserving our precious way of life.

Each year, ANZAC Day unites us in a spirit of compassion and contemplation, enabling us to pay tribute to those who have been injured or lost their lives in conflicts and peacekeeping missions, and those who continue to serve, with courage and dedication.  

Alongside the dawn service, this special day enables us to publicly demonstrate our respectful support, as we line Adelaide Street to view the ANZAC Day Parade.

I am so very proud that this valuable tradition originated in Brisbane, when just nine months after the early ANZACs landed on the shores of Gallipoli, our citizens voted to create a committee that would work with devotion and determination to remember the comradery, bravery and resilience shown by those who had fought.

Now, well over a century after the first crowds gathered near Brisbane’s Post Office to watch the troops march by, the parade remains an integral and cherished part of the ANZAC Day commemorations.

Each year, thousands of spectators are given an important opportunity to display their encouragement and to show their gratitude in a way that would otherwise be impossible…

…and the individuals who represent the many Contingents and Associations who comprise our armed forces, along with the descendants of veterans who have served, are able to showcase their pride for the uniforms and medals they wear.

It is a time of healing and togetherness, and it is an event that remains firmly in the hands of the citizens of Brisbane.

Yet, to plan, coordinate and deliver an event so significant in scale and meaning takes immense effort, and would not be possible without the unwavering commitment and fidelity of the ANZAC Day Parade Brisbane Committee, and its army of enthusiastic volunteers.

With the South Eastern District of the RSL—which since 1928 has provided the secretariat—your committee ensures that Brisbane’s parade captivates and entertains, while honouring veterans past and present.

I commend and thank everyone here today—the Chair, Committee members, and the many marshals, officers, advisers, drivers and other supporters—who give your time freely and crucially, to ensure that this legacy remains strong.  

I wish you all the best for another successful ANZAC Day parade.

And it gives me great pleasure to present your Chair with this official Certificate of Patronage, in recognition of my support as your Patron of the ANZAC Day Parade Brisbane. Thank you.