NFL Business Engagement in San Francisco

It is a pleasure to join you this evening.

It was only two days ago that I made the journey across the Pacific from Melbourne to San Francisco.

In doing so, I managed to complete a feat of time travel by landing almost three hours earlier on the same day.

Our cities are separated by 8,000 miles, and Melbourne sits in a time zone 17 hours ahead.

Yet in tracing their remarkably similar histories, it was San Francisco that often came first.

In June 1835, the first dwelling was erected here by Captain William A. Richardson – and in August of that same year the first permanent European settlement was established in Melbourne.

California formally joined the United States only a matter of months before the new Colony of Victoria formally came into existence.

And the Gold Rush that brought unprecedented wealth and activity to San Francisco in 1849 preceded the Gold Rush in Victoria by just a couple of years.

There were some fortune seekers who experienced both.

It is no surprise that California earned the title of the 'Golden State’.

Today, the stories of those pioneering gold prospectors of 1849 are still celebrated in the name of your city’s football team…

…and the colour emblazoned on their helmets is the same as on the flag of the Governor of Victoria, a nod to our golden past.

But the legacies of these Gold Rushes extend far beyond aesthetics.

There is a deeper, intangible component that thrives within our instincts and identities.

Ever since our beginnings, both Melbourne and San Francisco have prospered from being open to new people and new ideas.

Perhaps this is a result of having experienced the benefits of trade so early in our histories.

Or maybe it reflects the spirit of enterprise of those who sought their fortunes on the goldfields.

Long after the mines were abandoned, this outward-looking approach has sustained and connected our cities.

It was evident again in 1915, when San Francisco hosted the Panama–Pacific International Exposition.

Among the many thousands of attendees was Alfred Deakin – Australia’s second Prime Minister, who was born in Melbourne.

His journey from Melbourne was undoubtedly more arduous than the one I experienced.

The Australian delegation brought with them exhibits showcasing our agricultural produce, furniture and textiles – as well as examples of our unique flora and fauna, including live kangaroos.

In Deakin’s words, the purpose of the exhibition was to “…show the people of the United States the wonderful resources of Australia and the possibilities that country offers to… those desiring to engage in business…”

Unfortunately, I do not bring with me any Australian wildlife on this visit.

But I share those same aspirations that Deakin held all those years ago.

That is, to advocate for the shared opportunities before us.

Our economies have long since pivoted away from the resources of the earth alone, turning to those driven by skills, technology and innovation.

But our impulse to exchange and collaborate with others remains.

Whether in tech, cybersecurity, or robotics – progress in the industries of the future is dependent on doing business across borders.

And we remain ready to shake the hand of anyone who believes the same.

One hundred and seventy-five years after many of the original 49’ers left these shores to try their luck in Victoria, in this year the San Francisco 49ers will travel to Melbourne to take part in the first-ever NFL game in the Asia-Pacific.

This moment will provide us with an opportunity to reflect on our shared histories and golden past…

…to renew our willingness to engage and do business with one another…

…and to commit to building a golden future together.

In that spirit, I look forward to welcoming many of you to Victoria in a few months’ time.

Thank you.