Tony Zappia (Makin, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In what has been described as a fairytale journey, after seven years in office South Australian Governor Hieu Van Le ended his term yesterday. Born in Vietnam in 1954, Hieu Van Le arrived in Darwin in December 1977 as a 23-year-old boat refugee with little more than the clothes he was wearing, having fled at the end of the 10-year Vietnam War. His arrival was very similar to that of so many Afghan people who have fled their homeland in recent days. Three decades later, Hieu Van Le was appointed Lieutenant Governor of South Australia and, on 1 September 2014, Governor of South Australia, a role in which he has been so warmly received by the South Australian people and in which he has served with dignity, professionalism and humility.

As patron of more than 200 organisations, Hieu Van Le, most often accompanied by Mrs Lan Le, became the people's governor. Hieu will be replaced by career diplomat Frances Adamson, who becomes the third woman to serve as South Australian Governor. I congratulate Frances Adamson and wish her well in the role. I also thank Hieu Van Le and Mrs Lan Le for their service to South Australia, and wish them every happiness in the next phase of their lives, in which I have little doubt they will both continue to serve South Australia in some capacity.