14 October 2026

I acknowledge the Ngunnawal traditional owners of the land on which we meet and pay my respects to their elders, past and present.

I also want to thank proud Ngunnawal man Joel Bulger, who just before we arrived performed a smoking ceremony to welcome His Majesty to this land. I'm grateful to His Majesty for gifting Joel with a gift directly from his own pocket, which has had an extraordinary impact on both Joel and the Ngunnawal people. It was a wonderful expression of reciprocity, and I'm grateful to His Majesty for that very gentle gesture.  

We have a great variety of distinguished and important guests. You are all joining us today for very, very clear reasons as to why you have been invited. You're joining us from Defence, from mental health, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and so many other parts of the Australian story.  

I'd like to start, of course, though, by acknowledging Your Majesty, King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. It is our great honour to welcome you back to Government House.

• Senator the Honourable Don Farrell, Minister for Trade and Tourism of Australia, representing the Prime Minister today;
• the Honourable Richard Marles MP, Deputy Prime Minister and our Minister for Defence;
• the Honourable Ted O'Brien MP, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs, representing the leader of the opposition today;
• General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK AC (Mil) CVO MC and Lady Lynne Cosgrove, a very special welcome back. You hosted His Majesty here a decade ago, and dear friends, it's wonderful to have you back here;
• Air Marshal Robert Chipman AO CSC, Vice Chief of the Defence Force, representing the Chief of Defence Force, and I know that you have recently travelled to Jordan. It's wonderful to have that connection today;
• The Honourable Linda Dessau AC CVO, attending in her capacity both as Chair of Beyond Blue and as a former Governor of Victoria;
• Mr Basem Abdo MP, I'd like to introduce because he is an Australian Member of Parliament with Arab background, with family time spent in Jordan. I think the only member of our parliament with that background would be so important for today;
• Welcome, Ms Paula Ganly, Ambassador of Australia to Jordan. Wonderful to have you here and to learn so much more about the role Australia plays through the embassy.  

And all of you – we could go around the table – you are all distinguished guests today. I'm delighted to welcome you all.  

Your Majesty, it is a great and distinct pleasure to welcome you back to Canberra a decade after you were last here on an official visit to celebrate the friendship between Australia and Jordan, and just a year after we celebrated fifty years of diplomatic relations. 

As I said, I'm so pleased that Sir Peter Cosgrove and his wife, Lady Cosgrove, are here today. It joins us in that decade.  

This year also marks 50 years since Australia welcomed Your Majesty's father, King Hussein, and Queen Alia on a State Visit. We have some photos of that visit in the official study, which we were delighted to share with you. The warmth of that welcome helped encourage Jordan to establish an Embassy here in Canberra just later that year.  

Your father also found time to take a green Falcon GT around Ford's test track in Victoria. Test driver Don Dunoon later recalled being asked how fast the King had driven. This is what he said: 'On the basis that one should not ever outdo a King, of course I said that he drove faster than me'. I know you enjoyed the experience yourself.  

From those early days, our countries were looking for ways to learn from one another, discussing irrigation, farming in dry conditions, and solar energy. Today, that friendship is deeply part of Australian life, strengthened by Australians of Jordanian heritage through our arts, businesses, professions, and communities.  

In Adelaide, artist Ahmed Elkhalidi has brought old family photographs and familiar landmarks, including Adelaide Railway Station, into collages exploring the different places he has called home. This year, he and architect Rua Hashlamoun created Madinati, meaning 'My City'. Two canvases explored memories of other cities alongside life in Adelaide, and in community workshops, other residents joined in making art from their own memories of home.  

Between our countries, there are growing opportunities for businesses to work together in green energy and agricultural technology, pursuing some of those early shared interests in new ways. And we will see greater cooperation on mental health under our new memorandum of understanding, signed just yesterday at Parliament House.

I know that yesterday's roundtable on trauma and PTSD was deeply meaningful for everyone involved, and I'm grateful that you led the conversation with that group.  

Your Majesty, we are both the children of military men, and we are both commanders-in-chief, although my role is a ceremonial one. I know we share a concern for the physical and mental health of those who serve, particularly the mental health of veterans.  

In my time as Australia's Governor-General, I have committed to keeping care, kindness, and respect at the centre of all my work. I feel that we share a personal commitment to compassion and care for others wherever they may need it. This is so often evident in the relationship between our two countries, and in your own focus on care for so very many. And when Australians have needed help, Jordan has always been a friend that we have been able to turn to.  

Your Majesty, we remain deeply grateful for Jordan's assistance when Australians needed to leave Israel and Palestine. We are also united in our countries' humanitarian responses to the suffering caused by conflict across the Middle East.  

We can be proud here in Australia that every day since 1947, Australia has had peacekeepers serving somewhere in the world. And Jordan's generous response to the needs of refugees in the region tells us so much about your personal leadership.  

Australia has partnered with the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organization to provide medical supplies for field hospitals in Gaza, and with Jordan's Ministry of Education to help Syrian refugee children attend school. I know these things are deep, deep in your heart. Like you, we want children everywhere to grow up in peace and be able to look forward with hope.  

Your Majesty, at the United Nations, just in September, you described Jordan as 'ready to talk to everyone, and ready to work with anyone seeking peace'.  

Australia deeply values that commitment and the willingness to keep working for it.  

Thank you for being with us today. Fifty years after your father's historic visit, we have much to celebrate in the deep friendship between our countries and the people who continue to strengthen it.  

We look forward to doing more together, particularly as a result of your historic visit.  

And on a personal note, would you please pass on our very best wishes to Queen Rania, and of course to your children and four granddaughters, two of whom – as twins – have just arrived. It's wonderful to have you here. Please enjoy your time together.  

Thank you, everybody.