On Thursday, 31 May 2007, at Government House, Canberra, the Governor-General, His Excellency Major ...

On Thursday, 31 May 2007, at Government House, Canberra, the Governor-General, His Excellency Major General Michael Jeffery AC CVO MC received the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Kevin Rudd MP.

Later, the Governor-General received from His Excellency Mr Amaah Jayhoon, Letters of Credence accrediting him as Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. The Ambassador was accompanied by Mr Mirwais Samadi (Second Secretary) and Mr Mohammad Seyam Sediqyar (Third Secretary) Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. Afterwards, the Governor-General received from Her Excellency Mrs Patricia Eugenia Cardenas Santamaria, Letters of Credence accrediting her as Ambassador of the Republic of Colombia. The Ambassador was accompanied by Mr Luis Eduardo Gomez (Commercial Attache), Embassy of the Republic of Colombia. Later, the Governor-General and Her Excellency Mrs Marlena Jeffery hosted a luncheon in honour of the Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Ambassador of the Republic of Colombia. Other guests were: Professor Andrew Blakers and Dr Heather Neilson; Mr Doug Chester; Mr Shamim Fahiz; The Right Reverend Dr Tom Frame and Mrs Helen Frame; Mr David Grabau; Mrs Christine Gray; Professor William Maley, AM; Professor Ann Margaret McGrath; Ms Lyndall McLean, AM; and Mr Tim Morris, AM. In the evening, at the Great Hall, Parliament House, Canberra, the Governor-General and Mrs Jeffery attended the Welcome Dinner for the 10th National Student Leadership Forum: on faith & values, at which the Governor-General delivered the opening address. Earlier, at Fairbairn ACT, the Governor-General was represented at the departure from Canberra of the President of the Republic of the Philippines, Her Excellency Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo by Mr Malcolm Hazell CVO, Official Secretary to the Governor-General. Later, at Melbourne International Airport, the Governor-General was represented at the departure from Australia of the President of the Republic of the Philippines, by Brigadier David W. O'Brien, an Honorary Aide-de-Camp.