RSL Queensland Dinner

State President of the RSL Queensland, Major General Stephen Day DSC AM; and distinguished guests of the RSL Australia Queensland Branch, good evening.

I would first like to acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the lands around Brisbane, the Turrbal and Jagera people, and pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging.

Thank you all for joining Graeme and me for this special dinner to celebrate and support the work of the Queensland Branch of the Returned Services League of Australia.

As Joint Patrons, we are delighted to be able to show our appreciation for all that you do to support and provide care and camaraderie to veterans and their families, and for being a driving force behind the commemoration of our fallen servicemen and women.

For this, and so much more during its 108 years in existence, the League has earned the enduring respect of the people of Queensland and the nation.

Graeme and I have been pleased to be able to interact regularly with RSL Sub Branches around the State in our capacity as your Patrons.

This usually coincides with significant occasions, such as ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day, but also the many importance milestone events and celebrations that the Returned and Services League — as impactful and integral to our society as it is — makes possible.

Events such as the opening last October of RSL Queensland’s Veteran and Family Wellbeing Centre in Brisbane – an impressive and very valuable service centre for our region’s veteran and Defence communities.

Also last year, was our trip to Blackall, on the eve of Remembrance Day, when I unveiled a stunning statue of local hero Sister Greta Norman Towner.

Walking with Greta is particularly meaningful for the relatives of nurses and other medical workers who have served our country since the Boer War, and it was thanks largely to the Blackall RSL Sub-Branch that this important work of art was commissioned.

There are many other wonderful occasions of commemoration and celebration to which Graeme and I have had the honour of being invited.

And whether big or small, they serve to remind us of your ongoing dedication to ensure the RSL remains not just relevant in the modern era, but essential to our understanding of our State, our country and ourselves.

In the words of your State President, the RSL must continue to evolve to meet the changing needs of veterans and their families.

This includes operational needs such as securing permanent housing for veterans and their families; providing short-term accommodation and finding jobs for those who need it; facilitating scholarships for tertiary study or vocational training; submitting claims through the Department of Veteran’s Affairs; offering wellness programs, promoting active lifestyles; and the list goes on.

It is evidence, if any were needed, that RSL Queensland has its focus not just on the strategic objectives of tomorrow, but the very real and human needs of its members today.

For that and so much more, Graeme and I offer this dinner and Government House hospitality as a token of our appreciation, and our heartfelt thanks on behalf of Queenslanders for all that you do for our Defence community.