House debates

Friday, 23 September 2022

Death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth Ii and Accession of His Majesty King Charles Iii

Address

4:51 pm

Photo of Alison ByrnesAlison Byrnes (Cunningham, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Today, on behalf of the people of Cunningham, I join in extending our deepest condolences to His Majesty the King and the royal family on the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Her Majesty's influence on the world, our nation and my community in Cunningham is undeniable. This has been reflected in the outpouring of support from the people in my region expressing their condolences. There is deep recognition and respect for the Queen and her life of immense service to the people of the Commonwealth.

Queen Elizabeth is remembered for her strong sense of duty. In the year following her coronation, as we've heard today, the Queen embarked on a tour of the Commonwealth, including Australia. It is estimated that three-quarters of Australians turned out to see the Queen on her 1954 visit to Australia. The visit was so vast that then Prime Minister Robert Menzies proposed in parliament that future visits be 'less formal' due to the work involved in organising it. But the visit was a momentous occasion for Australia and for my region in the Illawarra.

My electorate of Cunningham received two royal visits from Her Majesty. The first was on 11 February 1954. The Queen arrived in Wollongong, and the streets were filled with supporters. Estimates put the onlookers at 80,000. The Illawarra Mercury also reported that keen locals had offered 20 pounds, or $700 in today's money, for a seat at the window on the second storey of the Wollongong Hotel, all for a better view of the procession. Sixteen trains transported more than 9,000 children to Wollongong CBD for the event, and 4.5 kilometres of wiring connected 58 speakers along the route so that everybody could hear. Fifteen-year-old Wollongong High School captain Margaret Buttel had been chosen to welcome the Queen and the Duke. In Her Majesty's address on the day, Queen Elizabeth noted the role that Wollongong was playing in the growth of Australia's industrial strength—a role that I am happy we will continue to play, now and into the future.

Five hundred ex-servicemen from three wars formed a guard of honour on Church Street for Her Majesty as she made her way to the Returned Soldiers Memorial Hall, where the Queen was to preside at the official luncheon. Veterans from sub-branches, including Albion Park, Austimer, Bowral, Coledale, Corrimal, Dapto, Gerringong, Helensburgh, Kiama, Moss Vale, Nowra, Port Kembla and Woonona were also in attendance. As the Duke tried to talk to some of the veterans, he had to lean in close to hear them over the roar of the crowd. Following this visit, a film was produced and shown in local theatres. The film has since been shared by the University of Wollongong Library and recently has been on the Lost Wollongong & Yesterday's Stories Facebook page. It is a brilliant piece of history, providing valuable insight to a historic day for our region.

It was during Her Majesty's second visit, in 1970, that she granted the title of Lord Mayor to the city and the name City of Wollongong was adopted. On Friday 10 April 1970, Royal Yacht Britannia docked at Port Kembla, and the Queen and Duke, accompanied by Princess Anne, departed for the town hall. Thousands lined the streets as the Queen travelled to the Wollongong Teachers College to meet faculty members and students from local schools, before eventually departing from Albion Park airport to fly to Newcastle. Many other constituents have shared the sense of excitement that overtook the community as the entire region gathered around these historic visits.

I'm honoured to speak today on this condolence motion and to express some of the sentiment that has emerged from my seat of Cunningham. Queen Elizabeth inspired countless people's love, admiration, respect and devotion. We thank her for a life lived in service to our people. After a long and full life of service, may she now rest in peace.

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