The Order of Australia (WA Branch) Annual Dinner - Toast to the Order of Australia

Wednesday 2 September 2009


by His Excellencey Dr Ken Michael, AC
Governor of Western Australia



Julie and I are very pleased to join you this evening for the annual dinner of the Western Australian Branch of the Order of Australia Association. This has become an important event for the WA Branch each year as it provides a very appropriate focus and acknowledgement of the achievements and endeavours of some very extraordinary Australians.

Also, in his absence, I would like to acknowledge Clive Robartson as the new Chair of the Western Australian Branch and wish him well in his role. As we have heard, Clive has an Association commitment in Canberra and is unable to be with us this evening but we do give him our best wishes for a successful and rewarding term in his new position. Clive follows Colonel Rod Willox as Chair, who served this Association with distinction in this role.

I would like to welcome members and guests of the Association, and offer my congratulations to those of you who were honoured with awards this year. This dinner provides us with an enjoyable opportunity to reiterate and share our pride in Australian citizenship. We do this tonight in the spirit of fellowship.

I would like to acknowledge the wide range of community organisations represented by the members of the Association in Western Australia. The diversity of people’s contribution to our community was again demonstrated this year by those who were recognised in the Australia Day and Queen’s Birthday Honours.

These awards, as we know, recognise the outstanding service of Australians who have given of their talents and time to enrich and strengthen our communities. It would be fair, I believe, to say that we are inspired as a nation by these wonderful people whose pursuits of excellence, acts of bravery, and community service help to build a better society for all Australians, young and old.

I commend each of you here this evening, who have been recognised and honoured in this way, for your devotion, care and service to others. It is a service, ultimately, to our great country, its people and its national spirit.

In this respect, I believe that the Order of Australia Association plays an extremely important contributing role by actively encouraging and promoting our national awards.

A very important aspect of this work is the Association's involvement of our youth and, in June this year, Julie and I very much enjoyed welcoming some of our inspirational young people to Government House for a reception designed to familiarise them with the Australian honours system.

As well, the Police Patrons Program continues to be the “flag-ship” program of the Branch, providing a mentoring program for recruits at the WA Police Academy at Joondalup.
 
As I have said at previous honours investiture events, these awards are truly inspiring. All the stories behind them are remarkable, and they serve to remind us of the feats and efforts of people who put others before self, who have risked their lives, and who have opened their hearts to others. In that way, they are powerful examples to all of us, both humbling and uplifting, and they draw us together as a nation.

This contribution as citizens makes our country a more robust and more compassionate place to live.

Tonight's dinner is about recognising your achievements and the contribution you make to our nation. I commend the efforts of all award recipients, both this year's and past years’ recipients as well. Your efforts do make a difference to the lives of people throughout our State.

Julie and I hope you enjoy your time together this evening in celebration of your fine achievements and in celebrating the Order of Australia.

I know, also, that we are all looking forward to hearing from our guest speaker tonight, a recipient of the award of Officer of the Order of Australia this year, Professor Lyn Beazley, Chief Scientist of Western Australia.

As I have mentioned, the role of the Association is very important in promoting the Order and encouraging Western Australians to nominate people who contribute to our society. I congratulate the Association for this and wish it all the best for its continuing promotion of the ideals that make Australia the exceptional country that it is.

I reflect on the words of one of the strongest supporters and a tireless worker for the Order, the late Sir Charles Court, who said in his address to the National Association dinner in Canberra in January 1996:

“The Order will go on forever growing in quality, strength, acceptance, integrity and tradition so that it will be entitled in the minds of all to that precious phrase included in the original Letters Patent – a Society of Honour.”


On that note, I ask you to please rise and join with me in toasting the Order of Australia:

"To the Order of Australia"