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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2023-09-28 Daily Xml
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Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla

Adjourned debate on motion of Hon. N.J. Centofanti:

That this council—

1. Congratulates Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla on their coronations; and

2. Affirms our steadfast allegiance to the throne and trusts that His Majesty's reign will be filled with great happiness for His Majesty and the Queen and be an era of peace, unity and prosperity across the Commonwealth of Nations.

(Continued from 28 June 2023.)

The Hon. B.R. HOOD (15:52): I rise in support of this motion and extend my congratulations to King Charles III and Queen Camilla on their coronation, which occurred on 6 May 2023. In doing so, I think it is worth reflecting on the significance of the legacy left behind by the passing of her Majesty the late Queen Elizabeth II.

Her seven-decade reign of stability, continuity and unwavering commitment to the commonwealth and to peace is unmatched. Despite an array of significant global and personal challenges, Her late Majesty was a unifying symbol of strength and resilience. She embodied stoicism in the face of global uncertainties and proved to be an inspiring role model for world leaders and to those who choose to embark on a career of public service. Her sense of duty and commitment to the people of the Commonwealth of Nations is truly unrivalled, even when suffering through personal ailments towards the end of her reign. May Her late Majesty rest in peace and her legacy forever live on in the minds and hearts of our future generations.

I would like to briefly reflect on the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla, which occurred in May earlier this year. While it has been less than five months since Their Majesties' coronations, more than 12 months have now passed since the death of our late Queen, and subsequently King Charles and Queen Camilla ascended to the throne. Hundreds of millions of people tuned in to watch the longest serving heir apparent and Prince of Wales in British history be crowned on that momentous day.

Like his late mother, King Charles has led a life of contributing to charitable causes and of passionate advocacy. His establishment of the Prince's Trust in 1976 embodies his commitment to improving the lives of young people in the United Kingdom. The Prince's Trust was kickstarted thanks to Prince Charles' donation of his £7,400 naval severance pay, with the trust's primary mission to assist vulnerable young people facing unemployment or struggling academically.

Each year, it helps to support approximately 60,000 young people and has managed to achieve great success, with three out of four participants transitioning to employment, education, volunteering or further training. The Prince's Trust has expanded worldwide, including here in Australia, and now positively impacts over a million young individuals, has fostered 125,000 entrepreneurs and provided business support for nearly 400,000 people.

One of the services offered by the Prince's Trust Australia that I found particularly interesting is their Launch Lab veterans program. This program, among other similar offerings, assists veterans to explore and start up their own business ventures, with tailored services to suit their circumstances. Whatever stage of the journey a veteran is on, the Prince's Trust Australia can assist with face-to-face sessions, and even runs a yearly enterprise accelerator program that can help establish businesses looking to rapidly scale.

While Prince Charles has been a steadfast advocate for young people, the environment and conservation, Queen Camilla's charitable legacy has centred on causes to improve women's health and welfare, illiteracy, animal welfare and poverty. Since 1994, Camilla has been an active campaigner for osteoporosis and also raised awareness about issues such as rape and sexual abuse.

Having lost her mother to the disease, Queen Camilla has been an active campaigner in raising awareness of osteoporosis, her commitment earning her several honours and awards. For over 22 years, she was the President of the Royal Osteoporosis Society, which is a significant contributor to research and innovation, as well as offering support to sufferers of the disease and their families.

The legacy left behind by the late Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will almost certainly not be matched, but I have great faith, however, that King Charles III and Queen Camilla will continue in the same tradition of charitable giving and passionate advocacy embodying the commitment and respectfulness that we witnessed from our late monarch. I offer my congratulations and pledge my steadfast allegiance to the throne, His Majesty and Queen Camilla and commend the motion to the chamber.

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (15:56): I would like to thank honourable members for their contribution to this motion and their indication to support it. It is time that we bring this motion to a vote. The motion congratulates Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla on their coronation and affirms our steadfast allegiance to the throne.

As members of the South Australian parliament, we serve in His Majesty's parliament, and as such it is appropriate that we celebrate and commemorate our head of state. It is surprising and disappointing that the government chose to remain silent and made no formal address to His Majesty concerning his coronation and that of Queen Camilla. Their silence necessitated my moving of a private member's motion.

The constitutional monarch serves as a unifying figurehead for our country and represents the continuity of the Australian state and its institutions, providing a sense of stability and a sense of tradition. I would like to take the opportunity again to wish Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla a long and peaceful reign over the entire commonwealth.

Motion carried.

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