Thank you, Mr Speaker.
On behalf of all Australians I congratulate Her Majesty, the Queen, on her Sapphire Jubilee. On 65 years of service as Queen of the United Kingdom and 15 other Commonwealth lands, including Australia.
This is an extraordinary milestone.
The Queen is the longest serving British monarch. Only five other Kings and Queens in British history have reigned for 50 years or more. She is the only British monarch to reign for 65 years.
Over those 65 years, the Queen has visited Australia 16 times and is patron of numerous Australian charities and organisations.
The vast majority of Australians have known no other Head of State. She is so revered and respected here that few of us can say that we are not Elizabethans.
Mr Speaker, along with the other nation states of the Commonwealth, we acknowledge with gratitude Her Majesty's years of duty and service and regardless of our constitutional views, thank her for an extraordinary reign and extraordinary service to Britain, the Commonwealth, and Australia.
[ENDS]