Trade and Investment Queensland Investor's Dinner

Thank you, Agent-General for Queensland, Mr Dave Stewart, for your kind introduction, and for hosting tonight’s dinner. Distinguished guests, good evening.

As Governor, and representative of Her Majesty The Queen in Queensland, it is my immense honour to be in the company of such an inspiring group of people, and to have the chance for us to share our stories.

I know some of you are already very familiar with Queensland’s recognised credentials as a stable, enterprising, yet relaxed place to do business and I am very grateful for the beneficial contribution your companies are making to our State.

The work you are doing in your respective sectors is groundbreaking and transformative, and as you successfully navigate our increasingly complex world, the positive impact of your endeavours is being felt far and wide.

Queensland’s special connection with the United Kingdom stretches back over 250 years, when Captain Cook first sighted our beautiful coastline from the HMS Endeavour.

As Queensland grew, from a humble penal settlement, to a separate colony, through Australia’s Federation, and into the 21^st century, this rich relationship with the United Kingdom defined and shaped our outlook and fortunes, becoming intrinsically embedded into our State’s character.

What was first seeded all those years ago was our unique determination of spirit, which, together with a necessary aptitude for inventiveness, has only strengthened in contemporary Queensland.

We are now a diverse State of over five million people, enriched and enhanced by the significant cultural contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and the dynamic influence of multiculturalism.

With strong economic growth and a solid path to post-pandemic recovery, Queensland is well positioned to take full advantage of our key strengths in important sectors such as infrastructure, mobility, hydrogen energy, advanced manufacturing, innovative technologies and the Arts.

This is why Queensland is leading the way in the emerging industries; it is why we are attracting so many people keen to call the State home; and it is why our towns and regions are such vibrant and creative places to live and visit.

Through my travels as Governor, and in my previous role as Chief Health Officer, I have seen the tremendous capacity of Queenslanders to grasp opportunities to create the future, with our enormous depth of skills and talent boosted by our State’s distinctive assets.

I believe that the scope of Queensland’s potential is only limited by our imaginations.

I commend the hard-working team at Trade and Investment Queensland for showcasing our State with such commitment, and thank you all for taking the time to join Graeme and I this evening.

As we reinforce and expand the enduring ties between Queensland and the United Kingdom – built on a firm foundation of friendship, cooperation and shared values – I am very excited about what the future holds.

Thank you.