Craig Kelly (Hughes, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

It is an honour to stand here today and congratulate Queen Elizabeth II on her Diamond Jubilee. This week marks 60 years since the passing of King George VI and 60 years since a fresh-faced youngster took the Crown with all the responsibilities that came with it and discharged her duty with a maturity that few could match at that tender age. Queen Elizabeth has carried the hope of the nation, an empire and what would become the Commonwealth Nations on her shoulders for a lifetime.

Queen Elizabeth was the first reigning monarch to visit Australia in 1954 and has since visited our nation on 16 occasions, including last year, when the Queen visited the Great Hall here in our own Parliament House. I recall on that night with great amusement that many of the most former staunch republicans were the ones who appeared most eager, desperately pushing to get to the front to capture the moment of being in the royal presence, of being with the Queen. However, this is not uncommon when it comes to Queen Elizabeth. She is a monarch who has always commanded great respect and loyalty from all those in the Commonwealth, and her genuine love for those subjects and her 60 years of service are just some of the reasons for this loyalty. Queen Elizabeth II commands the loyalty and admiration not only of those within the Commonwealth but also of those from outside it. It shows quite a lot that even presidents of the United States love to have their photos taken with our Queen. She is truly one of the most respected and popular leaders the world has ever seen.

Under the reign of Queen Elizabeth II the Commonwealth has become a beacon of stability across the globe. Her dedication is apparent not only in her actions but also in the way that she has spoken about her duties as monarch. Her Majesty once said:

I cannot lead you into battle. I do not give you laws or administer justice but I can do something else—I can give my heart and my devotion to these old islands and to all the peoples of our brotherhood of nations.

These words she spoke not long after taking the throne, in 1957 during her annual Christmas address. They perfectly encapsulate her reign. Queen Elizabeth has always been a monarch who wanted to help and to provide the best for her people. This is evident in her push to help stabilise Northern Ireland and her calls for the end of violence in that area. She has never been afraid to take a moral position, while upholding the integrity, nobility and honour of the Crown.

Our queen, Queen Elizabeth II, is only the second monarch to reach this most esteemed occasion that has brought us together in this chamber today. Elizabeth's great-great-grandmother, the only other monarch to reach this milestone, Queen Victoria, celebrated her Diamond Jubilee on 22 June 1897. Notably, Queen Victoria issued a telegram across the empire which read:

From my heart, I thank my beloved people. May God bless them.

To echo the words of her great-great-grandmother, and on behalf of the people of the seat of Hughes, I wish to say to Queen Elizabeth II that from our hearts we thank our beloved monarch. May God bless you, Queen Elizabeth II, and long may you reign.

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