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27th Governor of Queensland Her Excellency the Honourable Dr Jeannette Young AC PSM

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Reception in support of The Cook Society

Convenor, The Cook Society in Queensland, Mr Tom O’Donnell; Chair, The Cook Society in Britain, Ms Pauline Lyle-Smith; Ladies and gentlemen.

I begin by acknowledging the Traditional Owners 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 with us this evening.

As Patron of the Cook Society in Queensland, and the representative of His Majesty King Charles the Third in our State, I am delighted to welcome you all to Government House this evening to celebrate the Society’s enduring success.

When it was founded, its goal was to strengthen the ties between Australia and the United Kingdom by hosting regular dinners, conferences and gatherings.

These occasions would bring together leaders from both nations across fields as varied as business, government, science, the arts and academia.

Those activities have now been an established and important part of the bilateral relationship for almost 66 years.

Such longevity would certainly be a great source of pride and satisfaction to our former Prime Minister, Sir Robert Menzies.

Sir Robert had been the guest of honour at the dinner in London in 1968 where the idea of such a society was first mooted, and he enthusiastically embraced the concept.

A famously committed champion of the Commonwealth — he had attended all 10 Commonwealth Heads of Government meetings during his years in office — Sir Robert immediately saw the potential for this new Society to help build Anglo-Australian collaboration and cooperation.

Today in the UK, and in both Western Australia and Queensland, the Cook Society remains active in strengthening our trade and cultural ties with the United Kingdom and celebrating our shared history.

Just four years ago, major celebrations took place throughout Australia to mark the two-hundred-and-fiftieth anniversary of Captain Cook’s voyage up the east coast of Australia.

During my first year as Governor, Graeme and I watched the re-enactment of Cook’s famous landing in what is now Cooktown.

Later that year we launched the important collection of 35 papers about Cook compiled by The Royal Historical Society of Queensland.

I wish the Society well as it continues to meet the challenges of the 21st century. I now wish to present a Patronage Certificate to Mr Tom O’Donnell. Thank you.