The program this week focused on the creative and legal sectors, as well as international engagement. The Governor and Mr Howard also hosted the launch of the 2023 PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival.
The Governor and Mr Howard this week hosted the launch of the 2023 PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival. For the first time since 2019, the Festival is running a full program and is returning to the iconic Royal Exhibition Building. The Festival, which began in 1996, is a significant event on Victoria’s creative industries calendar, with last year's festival contributing over $40 million to Victoria’s economy. Speaking to representatives of Victoria’s iconic fashion sector and, creative industries, and visitors from interstate and abroad, the Governor reflected on the long-standing history of fashion in Melbourne, the importance of the industry to Victoria’s economy and congratulated the Festival’s new CEO, Caroline Ralphsmith, on the successful launch of her first season. Read more of the Governor’s speech here.
Providing Patronage to Victorian research institutions and hospitals is an important aspect of the Governor and Mr Howard’s community work. Mr Howard is Patron of a number of medical institutes and facilities including the Australian Red Cross Victoria, The Royal Melbourne Hospital Neuroscience Foundation and the Centre for Eye Research Australia. On Tuesday, Mr Howard welcomed families from Transcend Australia and staff of the Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) to Government House for a tour of the State Apartments. The tour was also an opportunity for Mr Howard to explain the history of Government House and the contemporary role of the Governor whilst celebrating the continuing partnership between both RCH and Transcend. Learn more about their partnership here.
The Governor’s program of International Engagement continued this week with the calls of Sandith Samarasinghe, Consul General of Sri Lanka and His Excellency, Mr Maximo Gowland, Ambassador of Argentina. The calls were an opportunity to further strengthen Victorian-Sri Lankan and Victorian-Argentinian connections and to welcome both Ambassadors on their first official visits to Victoria.
On Tuesday, the Governor received the call of Paul Little AO, Chairman and Andrew Westacott CEO of the Australian Grand Prix Corporation. The Australian Grand Prix is an important element of Victoria’s major event calendar and brings visitors from across the state, country and overseas. In 2022, a record 419,000 people visited the Grand Prix over four days.The Governor met with Mr Little and Mr Westacott to discuss the plans for the 2023 Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix.
On Wednesday, the Governor and Mr Howard attended a Reception for the new Appointments to the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia. Her Honour Judge Janine Young, His Honour Judge Mark Champion and Her Honour Judge Amanda Humphreys were admitted to the Melbourne Registry. The Honourable Justice Rebecca Curran, Her Honour Judge Louise Goodchild and Her Honour Judge Dina Lioumis were admitted to the Sydney Registry. Her Honour Judge Jennifer McArdle was admitted to the Brisbane Registry. Learn more about the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia here.
During the week, the Governor was delighted to also receive the calls of Sam Hay KC, President of the Victorian Bar, Professor Tim Entwisle, CEO of the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria and Seb Chan, Director and CEO of the Australian Centre of the Moving Image.