Speech delivered on 27 November, R. G. Casey Building

Good evening, everyone.  

Thank you for your generous welcome to country, Dr Caroline Hughes – you have been a warm and welcoming presence on the many occasions we have been together since I was sworn in as Governor-General in 2024.  

You are deeply valued by the Canberra community and, of course, by the people of the diplomatic corps – who know you so well.  

I acknowledge the Ngunnawal people as the traditional owners of this land, and I pay my respect to your elders past and present. And I extend that, of course, to all First Nations people here today, particularly First Nations Australians joining us.

As many of you would know—and I hope have experienced—it is a special moment as diplomats when you arrive, to feel that first moment in Canberra where you are welcomed with an Aboriginal Welcome to Country, perhaps even a smoking ceremony, which is our unique way of welcoming you to your credential ceremonies at Government House. I hope you enjoy that unique moment.

I try to step back and see the importance of the moment—the smell of eucalyptus smoke on your suits and jackets as you come in for your first lunch—as a moment to reflect on what it is you have arrived to: this magnificent country and continent. You've arrived to where you're welcomed so generously by First Nations people.

I'd like to acknowledge a few people, of course: Her Excellency Betty Pavelich, Dean of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassador of Croatia; Your Excellencies—there are so many excellencies here representing the diplomatic corps and national representatives. I like to look for collective nouns for groups of people, and I sometimes have said to you at lunches and dinners: you're an excellence of excellencies. Or a family. You are simply magnificent. And, collectively, you bring so much to our nation.

You'll hear more about that through the various comments tonight, but as a group, you are very special to us here in Australia, and we admire the way you represent your countries, but also the way you build friendship back through the diaspora communities in Australia and back to your home countries. You are very, very admired here in Australia.

I was going to acknowledge Senator the Hon. Penny Wong, but she is in the Senate. I know she wanted to be here, but she will be represented tonight. I also acknowledge the Hon. Don Farrell, Minister for Trade and Tourism, and Minister Tim Watts, who is also here. There are many ministers and parliamentarians I can see here tonight—welcome to you all.

I want of course to acknowledge Jan Adams AO PSM, Secretary of this very, very fine department, who does so much hard work and supports me so well and so generously. Dr Stephen Kennedy PSM, Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, who plays a very important role across many departmental coordinations. And, of course, heads of Australian government departments and agencies.

My friend Vice Admiral Mark Hammond AO RAN—where we have to keep our selfie game up, and we have a competition going, the Chief of Navy and I, so I look forward to a bit more of that tonight. Mr Matt Anderson PSM, Director of the Australian War Memorial, also a dear friend.

I've noticed many people from the international development sector—from ACFID, from so many of the Australian and global bodies that do so much work for our humanitarian efforts—the defence staff, long-suffering and hard-working—the many, many distinguished guests here tonight. It's very hard to acknowledge all of you.

I would like to call out Penny Wensley, former Governor of Queensland and, of course, a former Australian Ambassador. It's wonderful to have Penny here tonight.

Thank you, Jan, for inviting me back. This was one of my first events last year after being sworn in. It's wonderful to have just a small moment to reflect on the year just past. I fondly remember the kindness of the diplomatic corps and DFAT in those very early days after I was appointed in July of last year.

Since then, and during the course of this year, Australia has marked some very significant international anniversaries. In April, I was very proud to represent Australia on ANZAC Day at Gallipoli, where we marked the 110th anniversary of the landings at Anzac Cove. That same trip, I was in the United Arab Emirates, where I helped mark the 50th anniversary of our diplomatic relationships, and then in Egypt, celebrating the 75th anniversary of official friendship between our countries.

In September in Singapore, I joined a celebration of 60 years of a really vibrant bilateral relationship. I travelled to Sri Lanka to mark 60 years of that relationship—the first Australian Governor-General to formally visit that nation, surprisingly—but it was wonderful to be there.

Most recently, I've had important visits to Japan for the World Expo; Vietnam, to mark just over 50 years of our diplomatic relations; Mongolia, where we celebrate just over 30 years of a growing and strengthening relationship, where I spent quite a bit of time with a phenomenal group of people known as the Mozzies. When I was briefed about the Mozzies before going, I thought I needed mosquito repellent—but of course, the Mozzies are the very many senior people in Mongolia who trained, lived and studied in Australian universities. They are, of course, the Mongolian Aussies—the Mozzies.

All of these visits are supported by so many of you who have told us stories about how important these relationships are, how vibrant they are, and why I'm so fortunate as Governor-General to represent Australians in these unique moments.

We've had 19 credential ceremonies at Government House. We've had many farewells to members of the diplomatic corps who were here last year but not with us tonight, and new ones in their place. Many community events, citizenship ceremonies across the country, and then the magnificent opening of the 48th Parliament of Australia in July.

I have enjoyed the company of so many of you. You are all now very familiar to me. I'm always so grateful for the gifts of your wise insights into the countries and nations that you represent. Your work alongside the teams in your embassies and high commissions matters deeply to underpinning, sustaining and advancing Australia's many warm and fruitful international relationships.

As you all know so well, Australia's ties in business, education, innovation, civics, development, defence, the arts and, of course, sport, span the world. They are vital to the stability and prosperity of our modern, optimistic and successful nation.

I want to particularly thank the diplomatic representatives of all the countries that I have had the privilege of visiting for your exceptional support before our departure and during our time in your countries. It's meant a great deal to Simeon and me. Wherever we have travelled, we've been welcomed with such warmth and generosity.

I've seen relationships evolving and strengthening through extraordinary friendships and community ties between peoples of all our nations. You have all made those visits and all of our encounters in this country very special.

I also want to thank you for what you do here in Canberra. It's not just when I travel internationally that you matter—you matter every day here in the nation's capital. You introduce us to your diaspora communities, so important to defining what makes us successful as a modern nation.

Tonight, we celebrate everything that you bring here—whether it's friendship and goodwill, energy, your own optimism, collaboration, spirit and belief in our nation—it matters deeply. It underpins the modern, vital and vibrant way in which we like to think of ourselves as Australians, as part of the world.

In return, I hope you have felt some gratitude and occasionally enjoyed unique moments with many of us—whether it has been, in my case, a bit of kangaroo diplomacy from the buggy—not just for the first time, but up close—as a little bit of fun, as a uniquely Australian experience.

So thank you for all that you do. Shortly, you'll hear from Minister Don Farrell. The last time we travelled overseas with the support of DFAT together was at the remarkable funeral of the Pope in Rome, and to see all of our own DFAT community rallying so quickly to make sure that people were represented at that remarkable gathering and commemoration of the Pope—that stays with me.

Tonight, it's about the diplomatic corps. I want to conclude by acknowledging the distance from home that you all endure—away from your family, often your friends, your own communities. It's one of the necessities of a diplomatic career. Unfortunately, it is the challenge and necessity of diplomatic postings, but you carry it lightly.

I know that will be something that you all deal with, so I do hope that you have some plans for catching up with family, returning home, enjoying some time together that will build and fill your cups for when you are back here next year.

I hope you're always uplifted by Australia's welcome and hospitality, and that those of you who will sadly be departing us this year—we won't see at this gathering next year—will take with you the many fond memories of your time here. We will certainly remember you very fondly.

Australia will always be grateful for the work that you have done here as diplomats—representing your countries and as cherished friends. On behalf of all Australians, I simply say: thank you.