Speech to the She Gives roundtable
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Good morning, everyone.
I have been looking forward to today for some time. And today feels not only exceptionally special, but historic. A day to be reflected upon for years to come.
Many of you know that I am very keen to realise the opportunity of Government House, here at Yarralumla, and Admiralty House in Sydney.
More than places for a Governor-General to live and work, I want them to be places of imagination, ideas and innovation.
…And of impact, consequence and optimism…
Where the energy and insights of everyone who comes here, flow back out to communities across the country, as a source of pride in today and a framework for the future.
The Office of the Governor-General has no power to determine or influence policy.
It has no politics. It has no money to give.
It cannot pass judgement or withhold favour.
But it does have the power to convene.
To bring people together to discuss and debate the things that matter.
And to amplify the stories and commitment of those who care about our nation, the world and our future.
I am thrilled that we are all here today to fulfil the potential of this building – a place that belongs to all Australians.
Where we are all welcome -- to talk, to listen and to learn.
Using these places and spaces to bring Australians together is my way of answering the Prime Minister’s request of me to be a modern, optimistic and visible Governor-General, who unites and celebrates the very best of Australia.
I hope you have already heard me speak before of my debt of gratitude to my predecessor Dame Quentin Bryce, the first woman to be appointed to the office of Governor-General in 2008.
With her accustomed generosity, Dame Quentin has shared the wisdom of her experience with me, and I continue to learn from her counsel.
One of my most precious memories already in this role was sitting alongside Dame Quentin in the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Australian Girls Choir and 15 years of Girls from Oz- young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls from remote communities singing alongside the Australian Girls Choir.
Dame Quentin Bryce describes the role of the Governor-General as finding the balance between honouring tradition and being thoroughly contemporary.
Those words have such resonance.
Because finding the subtle balance between tradition and modernity is a peculiarly Australian project.
It is modern Australia,
… where we are shaped by a three-part story of 65,000 years of continuous Indigenous history and culture that echoes across the country in the generous and purposeful sharing of First Nations people …
… of stability, equality and prosperity assured by the strength of our democracy and institutions of government …
… and our modern chapter of optimism, of belonging and of progress, underpinned by remarkable multiculturalism.
Over half a century of immigration and refugee arrivals – over 7.5 million migrants and almost one million refugees.
Each of those parts is an epic, sweeping story of difference, contrast and asymmetry.
And of course, that story requires acknowledgement of the place of women- in the vast array of our roles across Australia’s history. A story I feel privileged to be part of today in this room is a glorious reflection of care, generosity and service – often quiet and unrecognised but ever-present and a source of strength for our progress.
The challenge of our time is to seize the opportunity of diversity to
… dismantle systems that preserve inequality …
… build structures that celebrate and perpetuate cohesion …
… find ways to elevate different ways of seeing in our national discourse …
… and to debate always with respect for difference, without descending into judgement or rancour.
It is also a time to elevate care – which is a why care, kindness and respect is at the centre of all I do as your 28th Governor-General.
This is what we are doing today, and what I hope will always be the purpose of my conversations here at Government House, or wherever I meet Australians across this vast country.
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The history of Australian philanthropy is rich with the stories of women with vision and generosity.
Much of it sits in this room today.
Through legacies, expertise or time, their endeavours are often directed to improve the lives of other women and girls.
It is unequivocal that applying a gender lens to investment by women in women and girls doesn't tip the balance in anyone's favour
Rather, it is an indisputable way to benefit and improve our entire society.
We all instinctively know this.
And She Gives shares the stories that tell us it is so.
Leveraging generosity isn’t simply about instinct, it is about rigorous research and an accumulation of evidence.
Which is why our meeting today is so important.
Today we begin to uncover what we don’t know, identify what we need to understand, and ask the questions that need answering.
This is care in its hardest form – coming face-to-face with truth and responding with honesty and integrity.
So, thank you for coming here.
Thank you for recognising that we can only undertake the task ahead if we pave the road with data, evidence, lived experience and truth-telling.
Thank you to She Gives, for bringing the courage to ask these hard questions.
The work is not easy.
But I am confident that, collectively, we have the power to make real change.