House debates

Friday, 23 September 2022

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

Address

11:20 am

Photo of Michelle LandryMichelle Landry (Capricornia, National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Manufacturing) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. September 8 2022 is a moment in history etched in our hearts forever. The passing of our beloved sovereign, Queen Elizabeth II, the longest reigning monarch in British history, brought the world to a standstill. As the news of Her Majesty's passing reached the nations, a deep sense of loss and reflection settled across the world. There was comfort in knowing Queen Elizabeth II in her final hours was surrounded by her family, whom she loved so deeply, and was at peace in her favourite home, Balmoral Castle.

Her extraordinary, selfless commitment to duty and service over her 70-year reign was both impeccable and historic. The grace and dignity she displayed in the face of the many public and personal challenges she faced during her reign served as an example and an inspiration to us all. The gracious, generous commitment she gave to the leadership of the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth and the royal family was extraordinary. Has there been such an outpouring of grief at the passing of a monarch? We will remember her for her compassion, kindness, humility, faith and endearing smile. These qualities have touched us all and are testament to the decent human being she was.

It appears that even at the tender age of 25, when Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary became the monarch following the sudden death of her father, King George VI, her natural charm and regal character shone. It is hard to believe that Queen Elizabeth's time on the throne goes back to the time of Prime Minister Robert Menzies. I am sure that at one time or another we have all seen the footage of Mr Menzies—later Sir Robert Menzies—toasting the Queen at a dinner on her first visit to Australia, where he borrowed those wonderful words from Thomas Ford:

I did but see her passing by

And yet I love her till I die.

And so we did. There would be 15 more prime ministers while the Queen was on the throne, from both sides of the political fence, and she charmed them all. Even the most devout republican supporters who were prime ministers have written and spoken of their deep affection for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth.

One of the staff in my office told me the story of a friend's young daughter who, while watching the many reports of the Queen's death, turned to her father and said, 'Who's going to look after the world now, Dad?' Out of the mouths of children comes the essence of what the Queen gave us: the safety of knowing she was always there, someone to look to and someone to turn to in times of trouble and in times of joy. How wonderful it is to know that, at her recent Platinum Jubilee celebrations, the world had the chance to say thank you to the Queen for over 70 years of service and she, in turn, found out categorically how much she was truly loved.

Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, visited Rockhampton in 1954. The Queen was 27 years old at the time. The visit made history, as it was the first time that a monarch had set foot in Queensland. The specially made chairs the Queen and Prince Philip sat on have been on display at Rockhampton Town Hall since their visit and have recently been placed at the Rockhampton Museum of Art so more people can see them. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth's remarkable contribution to the Commonwealth will go down in history, and we will miss her wisdom and her guidance. From the people of Capricornia: we thank you, Your Majesty, for your service. May you rest in peace.

Changes will occur with the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. Foremost is the proclamation and crowning of King Charles III and the taking on of more duties and roles by other senior working members of the royal family. I am in no doubt that King Charles III, who adored his late mother, will honour her steady and loving guidance over the past 70 years and reign with the same sense of duty, commitment and generosity that are hallmarks of Her Majesty's formidable legacy. My deepest sympathy and prayers are with the royal family at this sad time, particularly with our new monarch, King Charles III. God save our King.

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