Wellbeing Walk in support of Harmony Week

Health and Wellbeing Queensland Chief Executive Officer, Dr Robyn Littlewood; Multicultural Australia CEO, Ms Christine Castley; volunteers and walkers.

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 all First Nations people here this morning.

Welcome to the beautiful Fernberg Estate for our first Community Bushland Walk of 2024, an occasion I have been particularly looking forward to — not just because it allows me to reacquaint myself with this unique and special place, but also because it falls right before Harmony Week 2024.

Diversity and inclusivity are among my key areas of focus when planning public engagements and attending events throughout the year.

This means visiting Queenslanders in regional areas, to ensure they feel seen and heard as an integral part of our great State.

It means attending the graduations of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students receiving awards and scholarships to finish their education.

It also means having meaningful contact with the many diverse organisations and community groups caring for Queenslanders who live with a disability, or simply feel removed from the mainstream of society.

I am fortunate to be able to support organisations such as Multicultural Australia, as Patron, in their community-building endeavours, welcoming those from migrant and refugee backgrounds find their place in our society.

A double blessing is being able to support the core mission of another patronage organisation, Health and Wellbeing Queensland, by hosting these walks here, in this magnificent piece of original bushland.

And on that note, I’ll hand over to Dr Littlewood to say a few words before we set out on our walk.

Thank you and enjoy.