Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On indulgence, and on a far happier topic, on behalf of all Australians, I rise to place on record the best wishes and congratulations of the Australian parliament and the Australia people on the marriage of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, now the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Along with the Governor-General and Mr Bryce, Tim and I were honoured to represent Australia at Westminster Abbey.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank members of the opposition for their sterling support. This was, of course, a highly formal and symbolic occasion for the Royal Family, for the British system of government and for the entire Commonwealth. It was also a very human occasion: two young people, very much in love, having the courage to build a life together amid the glare of publicity and scrutiny.

Opposition members interjecting—

They are romantics on the opposition frontbench, Mr Speaker. It is obviously a huge pressure to know that your wedding will be watched by probably two billion people—that is an amazing statistic. The upside of that pressure is the joy that is given to so many. I had the opportunity to see that joy personally in the abbey and beyond with other prime ministers and governors-general. We watched the crowd outside Buckingham Palace as they saw William and Kate and the Royal Family come out onto the balcony. It was a truly amazing site, to literally see tens of thousands of people on the move, walking together, happy, no pushing, no shoving; nothing but happiness from the crowd itself and even from the police who were marshalling the crowd.

For many in the world this was a moment of uplift from the pressures of daily life. For the Royal Family, it was pomp and ceremony blended with a truly family wedding. At Buckingham Palace, before the cutting of the cake, the speeches given by Prince Charles and Prince William were the kind of speeches you would have expected to hear at any wedding in any suburb in any town in our nation—the father gently joking about his young son and his humour being returned by the young son as he joked about his old man; humour and emotion woven together. Around the world, of course, people celebrity spotted as they watched the royal wedding. Elton John, Posh and Becks were among the celebrities they wanted to spot. But there was an absence that was keenly felt—the absence of Princess Diana. I am sure she would have been very proud of her son, who has grown up into an exceptional young man, and of his choice of Kate Middleton, whose grace and self-possession spoke volumes about the character she brings to her new role. I am sure we all hope that the world has learnt and the media has learnt some lessons from the way Princess Diana was treated, and that we will all give the royal couple our best wishes as well as the space and privacy they will need to pursue their lives together.

We wish the Duke and Duchess all the best in the busy and demanding years that lie ahead. Their wedding is a great time of renewal for the Royal Family and for Great Britain, and none of us would wish it any other way. For those of us who have a different view about Australia's constitutional future, it highlights the fact that our debate should not be centred on individual qualities but on issues of principle debated in an atmosphere of civility and reason. If Australia ever chooses a different path, it should be at the right time for the right reasons. In that spirit I welcome the marriage of William and Kate. It is good for Britain and good for the Commonwealth. May they enjoy a long and happy life together, as united at the end as they have been at the beginning.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I rise to support the gracious remarks of the Prime Minister and I congratulate her for representing our country so well at this important occasion, the wedding of Australia's future king. It has rightly been celebrated throughout the world.

I want to dwell for a moment on one facet of this celebration, namely the prayer which Prince William and Catherine wrote for their nuptials. I want to quote it, if I may:

In the busyness of each day, keep our eyes fixed on what is real and important in life and help us to be generous with our time and love and energy ... help us to serve and comfort those who suffer.

What an inspirational young couple they are; what a beautiful lesson they have given us that should be heeded by all in public life. I have always wanted to say this in this chamber, so let me say with heartfelt conviction: May God save the Queen.