Yoonggu gulanyin ngalawiri, dhunayi, Ngoonawal dhowrrra
We are gathered tonight on the land of the Ngunnawal people and pay our respects to their elders past and present.
And we thank The National Australia Day Council, chaired by Ben Roberts-Smith for bringing together such a remarkable and diverse array of Australian leadership.
The extraordinary finalists for Young Australian, Senior Australian, Local Hero and Australian of the Year, light the way for us - shining examples of our best selves.
Generous and compassionate, selfless, never daunted by seemingly impossible odds, brilliant, curious, entrepreneurial, innovative, building bridges to reinforce the mutual respect which secures our harmony and diversity.
They include First Australians and those who have dedicated their lives to working with them.
They include migrants and refugees who have fled horrors barely imaginable.
Those who have battled illness in their own lives and stretched the boundaries of science to cure it in others.
Here in our remarkable nation, with energy and optimism, we are bounded only by the limits of our imagination and determination.
As you, the finalists, each in your own way, have proved.
Yet, however much we celebrate the remarkable, peaceful and diverse nation that we have built together, we always strive to be better. Our Australians of the Year have always shown us how.
Australian of the Year in 2016, David Morrison reminded us, as Rosie Batty had in 2015, that we must practice what we preach - that the standard you walk past is the standard you accept.
Not all disrespect of women ends in violence against women, but that’s where all violence against women begins.
Respect for women, respect for each other, in all our magnificent diversity, is the foundation on which our harmonious society depends, is the platform which enables every Australian to realise their full potential.
Each of the 32 finalists here tonight has already made an indelible imprint on our national story.
As educators and innovators.
Investigators and advocates.
Philanthropists, entrepreneurs, volunteers and pioneers.
And all of them, as change-makers.
On behalf of all Australians, I congratulate each of tonight’s nominees and winners.
And I wish everyone a very happy Australia Day tomorrow.