Canberra, Australian Capital Territory

On Wednesday 26 February 2020, in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Their Excellencies General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd) and Mrs Linda Hurley, held a morning tea for the families of the late US Fire Fighters: Lieutenant Colonel Ian McBeth Aircraft Commander/Captain; Lieutenant Colonel Paul Hudson, First Officer; and Senior Master Sergeant Rick DeMorgan Jr., Flight Engineer, US Volunteer Fire Service.

Afterwards, the Governor-General and Mrs Hurley hosted a Ceremonial Welcome for His Excellency Mr Reuven Rivlin, President of the State of Israel.

Later, the Governor-General and Mrs Hurley hosted a State Lunch in honour of His Excellency Mr Reuven Rivlin, President of the State of Israel. Guests included: the Honourable Scott Morrison MP, Prime Minister of Australia; Ms Joy Burch MLA, representing the Chief Minister of the ACT; Senator Sue Lines, representing the President of the Senate; Her Excellency Mrs Nineta Barbulescu, Dean of the Diplomatic Corps; Ambassador of Romania and Mr Dan Barbulescu; His Excellency Mr Mark Sofer, Ambassador of the State of Israel and Mrs Sara Sofer; Senator the Honourable Marise Payne, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Minister for Women; The Honourable Mark Dreyfus QC MP, representing the Leader of the Opposition; Lieutenant General Greg Bilton AO DSC and Mrs Rachael Bilton, representing the Chief of the Defence Force; Ms Frances Adamson, Secretary, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; Mr Chris Cannan, Australian Ambassador to Israel; Mr Leon Kempler AM, National and Victorian Chair, Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce; Dr John Kunkel, Chief of Staff, Office of the Prime Minister; Mr Jeremy Leibler, President, Zionist Federation of Australia; Mr Mark Leiber AC, National Chairman, Australia-Israel Jewish Affairs Council; Mr Solomon Lew, Chair, Premier Investments; Mr Steven Lowy, World Chairman, United Israel Appeal; Ms Caroline Millar, representing the Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and Dr Claude Rakisits; Ms Anat Rivlin Goursky; Mr Harel Tubi, Director General, Office of the President; Ms Rivka Ravitz, Chief of the President’s Bureau; Ms Shuli Davidovich, Senior Foreign Policy Advisor, Office of the President; Brigadier Alaa Abu Runkun, Military Secretary to the President; Ms Naomi Toledano Kandel, Spokesperson, Office of the President; Mr Tomer Reichman, Director of Overseas Travel, Office of the President; Mr Yuval Keshet, Senior Coordinator of Foreign Affairs, Office of the President; Mr Ido Nehoshtan, Chairman, Israel-Australia Chamber of Commerce; Dr Aharon Medina, Doctor, Office of the President; Mr Paul Israel, Executive Director, Israel-Australia Chamber of Commerce; Mr Ron Gerstenfeld, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of the State of Israel; Mr Safi Amashe, Defence Attaché, Embassy of the State of Israel; Ms Eman Amashe, Embassy Spokesperson, Embassy of the State of Israel.

Then, the Governor-General received Her Excellency Mrs Victoria Francolino Slepak, Ambassador of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, for a farewell call.