Simon Birmingham: Thanks very much for that introduction, and thank you all for coming along today. It's a real delight to be with you. And can I commence by also acknowledging Australia's traditional owners and in particular the Ngunnawal people, the traditional owners of the Canberra region and as Education Minister acknowledge that we continue…
Simon Birmingham: Thank you so very much Jenny. I thought I’d start with a little of Dorothea Mackellar’s most famous words. I love a sunburnt country and a land of sweeping plains, of rugged mountain ranges, of droughts, of flooding rains. I love her far horizons, I love her jewel-sea, her beauty and her terror,…
Simon Birmingham: Thank you very much Michelle for that welcome, it's a real pleasure to be here with Neil and George today, both good friends, both good colleagues in Canberra, and as we just heard from Michelle, both constant advocates for Central Queensland, constant campaigners for this part of the world, and both constantly in…
Thank you. Thank you very much Marnie for that welcome. I hope not to be a frustrated supporter of the Adelaide Crows this year, but a well motivated one who enjoys many wins. If Ben is here playing the role of Barack Obama and Chris is here as Hillary Clinton, I come to the stage…
It is a pleasure to join you today. I thank you for this opportunity to open the 2016 Southern Hemisphere Space Studies program. I acknowledge the Kaurna people of the Adelaide Plains, the traditional owners of the land on which we are meeting today. A special welcome to the leaders in your world of space…
Simon Birmingham: Thank you, thank you very much Aidan, and no you’re not the one to be Santa Claus, or Father Christmas, I think- I think it’s my predecessor Christopher Pyne who’s quite enjoyed being the Father Christmas of innovation over the last couple of weeks with giveaways aplenty. But to you and the team…
SIMON BIRMINGHAM: Thank you very much Ian. To Professor Ian O’Connor, Vice Chancellor of Griffith University, Gareth Evans, Chancellor at the ANU, fellow Vice-Chancellors present, to my Parliamentary colleagues present – Senator Bridget McKenzie to whom I think we owe enormous credit and probably apologies at this time of the Parliamentary year. Chairing the Senate…
E&OE… SIMON BIRMINGHAM: Well thank you very much Aiden for that welcome as the Chief Executive of the Australian Research Council. It is a delight to work with you and your team and to have you administering this very important grant. Professor Sandra Harding, the Vice-Chancellor of James Cook University, Professor Willie Schofield, the Director…
SIMON BIRMINGHAM: Thank you so very much Vice-Chancellor Caroline McMillen, to Chancellor Paul Jeans, to my many Parliamentary colleagues who are here including the Shadow Minister Senator Kim Carr, the many alumni of the University of Newcastle amongst those Parliamentary ranks. Ladies and gentlemen, it is wonderful to see a gathering here for a birthday…
E&OE… SIMON BIRMINGHAM: It is a pleasure to be with you tonight. I particularly wish to acknowledge: • Ken Boal, Business / Higher Education Round Table President and Vice President Cisco Systems and • the recipients of tonight’s awards. I regret that I will not be able to stay on for the awards presentations…