Death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Hansard ID: HANSARD-1323879322-127421

Hansard session: Fifty-Seventh Parliament, First Session (57-1)

Death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Accession of His Majesty King Charles III

Mr MARK COURE (Oatley Minister for Multiculturalism, and Minister for Seniors) (19:23:44):

— With deepest sympathies I pay my respects to Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for a life of invaluable service and duty to her country and the Commonwealth. As we have paused over the past week or so to reflect on Her Late Majesty's life, it has been hard not to be struck by the history of this moment and the sense that with her passing we have lost an enduring link to our own past, that we have lost a constant and stabilising presence.

While we mourn the passing of Her Late Majesty, many of us are also reflecting on her decades of devotion to duty. We are celebrating a long life lived well, a life that was devoted to country, family and faith. We are paying our respects to someone who simply carried on without complaint to serve the public. That was always what was most admired about Her Late Majesty. Despite the advancing years, she just kept working; she kept doing her duty. That duty was carried out to her very last days when she swore in her fifteenth Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Not only did Her Late Majesty dedicate her life to serving her own country for seven decades; she also dedicated her life to serving the Commonwealth.

There is no doubt that Australia held a special place in her heart. Visiting Australia 16 times, Her Late Majesty always arrived to much fanfare. In particular, the people of New South Wales came out in droves to show their admiration and love for Her Late Majesty. I am pleased to say that Her Late Majesty was able to visit the St George area on multiple occasions. The first visit took place only one year after her coronation, on 11 February 1954 when she passed through St George Hospital. Awaiting her arrival were over 300 uniformed doctors and nurses and 100 patients, mostly children, who wished to show the royal guests Australia's affection towards them. Many of them joined together in holding up a 12-metre-long sign that read, "The St George Hospital Welcomes Her Majesty." While the hospital would have looked very different back then, it is wonderful to hear about all the hardworking nurses and doctors who showed their appreciation and affection toward Her Late Majesty.

Her Late Majesty also visited the St George area on 6 May 1970 to celebrate the bicentenary of Captain Cook's landing in Australia. During that period, tens of thousands of residents lined the streets of the Sutherland Shire and St George areas just to get a glimpse of the royal visitors. According to a newspaper article from the day, police struggled to control the crowds, which at times forced the royal entourage transporting Her Late Majesty to stop briefly. During that visit, the Queen met high school captains from across New South Wales at James Cook Boys High School and Moorefield Girls High School in Kogarah. Over 560 school captains attended the event, an opportunity which I am sure they did not forget.

Throughout her lifetime, Her Late Majesty also showed our nation much kindness during some of our darkest times. Many have remarked that she closely watched events in Australia and would be quick to write or reach out during troubled times. She stood by us faithfully during recent floods, the Black Summer bushfires and many other difficult times, but she also celebrated alongside us. In 1954 she became the first British sovereign to open a session of an Australian Parliament. She also opened new Parliament House in Canberra in 1988, stating that the building was an example of the strong democratic principles of freedom, equality and justice.

As we continue to mourn, I remember Her Late Majesty's incredible legacy, which will not be forgotten. In the fast-paced world of modern life, she truly was a reassuring presence for many of us. I have also been touched over the past week or so as many local residents have come to my electorate office to sign the condolence book. That is a demonstration of the respect with which she was held throughout New South Wales. I pay my deepest respects to Her Late Majesty and send my condolences to her family. At this time, I invite us all to remember the warmth and kindness Her Late Majesty showed to all Australians. I hope that we can all take something away from the wonderful legacy she left. May her soul rest in eternal peace.