Speech delivered on 14 July 2026 at Admiralty House

It's wonderful to welcome you all. We have been looking forward to this afternoon tea for quite a while, a chance to meet some beautiful dogs, but more to see how you all are and to check in and celebrate 10 years, which we'll be doing today. You've shown us, just once again, how exceptional an organisation can be.

Of course, it all ends up with those beautiful dogs and their role as companions and supporters, but that's what you all live and breathe with supporting Integra. It's a wonderful patronage for me. I'm very proud to be the patron.

I want to start with a special hello to Quen, with Richard, and she's already done her job in calling this to attention, so the barking, I'm sure, gets started. Thank you, Quen. She's doing her job already, and I've had plenty of handshakes. It's been wonderful to re-engage with her.

Everyone who's back in the team here in Canberra is very jealous not to be here. Very disappointed people up in Canberra. But there's probably a disappointed Prime Minister around the corner because I know he's in at the moment. He often walks his dog Toto around here, so he's probably wanting to bring Toto in.

I want to start by acknowledging that we are on the land of the Cammeraygal, and I pay my respects to Elders past and present. They've been the traditional custodians of this beautiful, beautiful land.

It's also very special that we're here on a spectacular Sydney winter's day. Couldn't be a more perfect day for us all to be together. As Nicole said, to explore this wonderful building, the open rooms downstairs. There's lots to see for those of you here for the very first time, lots to explore, but I suspect today the dogs will tell you that the garden is going to be the best place to be. There's no view like the one out there.

So, feel free to wander around the garden as well. Take as many photos as you like, and I'm happy to jump into selfies, and I think we're going to do a few reels so that we have lots of social media to celebrate today.

I'd like to start formally by acknowledging Rear Admiral Mark Holmes, CSC, AM, MVO, Chair of Life Unleashed by Integra Service Dogs. Welcome back. It's wonderful to see you again.

Congratulations to you particularly. I know it's an anniversary year, but you've spent 10 years in voluntary service as the Chair of the Integra Board. And I know, Mark, how deeply your energy and insight have been valued by the whole Integra team, and everyone who benefits from the work of Integra. It starts with someone who's been there all the way through. So, it's wonderful to welcome you back into Admiralty House.

Ben Johnson OAM, CEO of Life Unleashed by Integra Service Dogs. I love to see you here now because you've got your shiny new pin on. I had something to do with that. I was the person who invested you with your Medal of the Order of Australia for service to social work through your work with the veteran and first responder communities.

Now, members of the Order are always so humble, and it was no different with Ben. So, it was all about the team, all about everyone else, and that he didn't deserve it. And I think we're all here to tell you that you are absolutely the reason why you received that pin and all of your wonderful ceremonial investiture medals. And I think just a big round of applause for congratulations.

Matt Runnalls, Australian Paralympian. Matt, it's wonderful to have you here. One of my favourite things, other than being involved in Integra, of course, is to be Patron of Paralympics Australia, and so delighted that you're here. Where's Willow? I'm glad she's behaving.

It was wonderful to welcome home the team at the airport in March. That was one of the most exciting things I've done. Returned from Milano Cortina carrying the Games. I think the other time we saw you was when we were sweltering here as you all put on the winter uniform. Scorching hot day here on the runway out on the lawn. It was so hot that everybody there in their parkas and furs. It was amazing.

So, it's wonderful to have you back here. Just marvellous having you here.

And Richard, I just want to mention you. Richard Lord looks after partnerships and so much with Integra. Of course, as mentioned, you've been so generous with my team, trying to encourage us to do more with Integra and think about how we might actually find ourselves with a dog at some stage. I still want to do that. We are a house without a dog, and that doesn't seem right. There's your patron.

So, thank you for being here.

Really, you are all people I could single out to welcome. You are all terribly important. Integra staff, the Board, and importantly sponsors, those of you that show up and support Integra. It really matters.

And I think most importantly the most important people today are the handlers and your families, all veterans and first responders yourselves. Quite extraordinary to get to meet you. I know some of you are here for the first time, and I want you to know you are so welcome here. And what you do, and how you are welcoming us into your stories, and we'll hear some of those stories today.

It's very special for us.

So, everyone here is a special guest, and just as we did when we welcomed a number of you at Government House in Canberra, we like to say that these official residences are places of peace and welcome, where everyone is invited to feel like you're in a home, and the home is yours today.

As patron, I am so pleased that we can celebrate this remarkable 10th birthday, the 10th anniversary of this remarkable organisation.

And as Commander-in-Chief, and the daughter of a veteran, I do have a particular perspective on what it means in the veterans' life, in the community, the families of those who have served. And it's so important that we do support Australian veterans and first responders living with PTSD and other forms of anxiety, together with their families and communities.

Our promise as a nation has always been to help veterans and first responders to pick up the pieces when the mental and physical injuries endure long beyond service. There we promise to pick up those things that remain injuring and held by veterans and their families.

Now you all fulfil that promise with such compassion and care, and always deliver services with exquisite focus, excellence, responsiveness, and always prioritise the needs of the individual. Always have a human being and the connection to these wonderful animals.

The origin stories of many of the great caring organisations that I see around the country are always deeply moving, and from my mind are compelling and need to be shared. And Integra is a class act when it comes to showing how you create a caring organisation. That's why I'm honoured to be your patron.

Continuing Ben's determination to help people with complex mental ill health and with Ken's lived experience of PTSD, and his insight into the hope brought by the bonds that can form between people and dogs, you grew a grassroots industry into a trusted, much-loved and life-changing organisation.

As you all know so well, veterans and first responders living with PTSD need a particular kind of support. It's practical, tailored, and enduring, and helps to restore independence, confidence, and connection to community.

And of course, the special thing about Integra is just how you do that. These wonderful dogs, trusting, responsive, confident, and deeply attuned to the needs of their handlers, they bring healing in their own way. Every paw, ear, nose, tail, limb, shape, every single thing they do is deeply attuned to the needs of their handler.

I know everyone is keen to spend some time with these beautiful dogs, so we'll get rid of the humans in a moment. That's not fun.

And before I conclude and hand over to Ben, I just want to extend a special thank you to the Integra team, to the Board, the staff, trainers, and all of your volunteers, and the supporters and corporate partners.

And some of you have travelled quite a distance today to come and show your support for Integra.

When I was sworn in as your Governor-General just over two years ago, time is going very, very quickly, I promised to put care, kindness, and respect at the centre of everything that I do.

And I say it like this: let's care for each other, care for those that do the caring of others. That's you, everyone in this room, caring about others. Care for our continent and its environmental riches, effectively care for country. Care for civics and institutions and the things that make us a great, great democracy. And care for the way we discuss the really tough issues of our time, without violence, anger, or judgement.

Always wrestling with ideas, but respecting people, and always dealing with the issues, of which the one you're trying to solve is a complex one, and we need to enter into a spirit of optimism. And you do that very, very well.

So, it's a great joy of my role as Governor-General and patron to be able to celebrate and share the stories of those who exemplify for me the values of care, kindness, and respect in everything you do.

I know that your partners do that. I know that it's not just Integra, but the partners also are committed to care and kindness, and it sits at the heart of everything that you do.

So, because of all of you, this work goes on.

So, this will be the first of a number of decades that will be celebrated, I'm sure. I hope more veterans and first responders can build an extraordinary bond of love and companionship with a dog, and once again find life-changing confidence, happiness, and serenity, and some peace and happiness.

I know you want to do a lot more of that and want to supercharge the number of dogs that you can share and the handlers you can engage with.

I want to thank you all for coming today to Admiralty House. As I said, my team was thrilled to know we could host you today.

Happy birthday, Integra. Happy birthday to everybody involved. Best wishes for everything that lies ahead.