Speeches
Tuesday, 22 September 2026
Patronage reception
Rod and I warmly welcome you all to Government House.
We are proud to be your patrons, either individually or together.
Over these past five years, this privilege has given us a unique insight into the breadth, diversity and strength of South Australian community life.
We’ve had experiences that will stay with us forever.
We have stood on the deck of the historic City of Adelaide Clipper Ship, and on the floor of Foodbank’s new Pooraka warehouse.
We have sat with young musicians as they have rehearsed with Adelaide Youth Orchestras, and I’ve cut the cake at the Lyceum Club's birthday – several times!
Rod has performed with the Adelaide Male Voice Choir and, together, we turned the sod on a centre expansion for Lions Assistance Dogs.
Across more than 190 organisations, spanning the arts, sport, agriculture, health, education, multicultural life and community service, we have found one common thread.
It is people choosing to give their time, their skills, their compassion and their energy to make a difference to others and to this State.
That tells us a great deal about South Australia.
This is a community with a deep spirit of service, creativity, resilience and a willingness to embrace new opportunities.
It is a State where a young volunteer in a country town, and a board member of one of our great institutions, are engaged in the very same work of building a stronger South Australia.
I have been heartened to see so many of your organisations actively preparing for the future.
Those readying themselves through succession planning, through fundraising, and through communicating widely and strategically, are equipping themselves for what lies ahead.
Those developing ways to draw on the lived experience of the people you serve, and ensuring those voices are heard and acted upon, are building a strong foundation for the years to come.
Within this challenging context, that kind of preparation matters more than ever.
Rod and I have prioritised supporting you in every way we can.
It’s been our pleasure to connect you to one another, and to donors, universities, regional communities and each other's expertise.
We encourage you to keep being ambitious for South Australia.
We encourage you to nurture the next generation, so that the organisations gathered here can continue to fulfill their purpose.
We encourage you to continue building on the strengths of this State, its generosity, its creativity and its resilience.
As my term draws to its close, I thank you for the relationships Rod and I have formed with so many of you.
I have learned more from you about this State than any briefing paper could teach me.
I leave this office with a deep sense of confidence in what South Australians can achieve when they choose to serve one another.
To every one of you, across every field of endeavour represented in this room, our final wish is a simple one.
Keep doing what you do, because South Australia is better for it.