Vew from the chair: Speeches of Richard WL Austin

And finally, last but certainly not least, Iwant to thank His Excellency the Governor of Queensland, Sir Walter Campbell, for gracing us with his presence, together with Lady Campbell, and for presenting the certificates of membership at this Tenth Annual Dinner of the Foundation. It has become a firm tradition that the representative of Her Majesty the Queen in Queensland should carry out this most important ritual. Sir Walter has not once failed to perform it since he became Governor. For this we thank you, Your Excellency. In conclusion, ladies and gentlemen, I should just like to say that this is the one really great night of the year for the Gallery, because it is the night when all those who have the best interests of the Gallery at heart, gather together. I thank you all for being here, and now I ask you to show your appreciation in the usual manner. 6 Vote of thanks at the Queensland Art Gallery Foundation's Eleventh Annual Dinner, 3 April 1990 Now that the important speeches are over, it is my pleasant duty to bring the formal part of this evening's proceedings to a gentle close by proposing a vote of thanks on behalf of the Gallery to all those who have participated in them. This is certainly a unique occasion for the Gallery. In the first place, the Gallery has never before been exposed to quite so much generosity in such a short space of time. The donations and commitments of those who have just received their certificates of membership of the Foundation, taken together with those of three other companies, already contributors, which have recently added to their contributions– namely the National Australia Bank, ARCO Coal, and Pancontinental Mining-total over $725 000, which by any standards is a tremendous sum. I thank those corporate and individual donors most warmly indeed. In the second place, more than half that sum has been given by Japanese companies and that has never been equalled in the Gallery's history. To the seven Japanese companies which have received their certificates tonight, must be added another, Idemitsu Kosan, which the Premier mentioned in his speech earlier, has provided a very substantial donation. Cultural affairs are playing an ever increasing role in Japanese society and this was emphasised recently by the Prime Minister, Mr Kaifu, in his speech to the 118th session of the Japanese Parliament in which he referred to, and I quote, 'a heightened interest in culture as the Japanese people seek spiritual affluence'. The Gallery has a close relationship with Japan on a number of levels, and we are fortunate that the 'spiritual affluence' to which he referred goes hand in hand with the material affluence which has made it possible for the Gallery to benefit in the way it has. I should just like to say to the eight Japanese companies concerned, 'kokoro kara kansha itashimasu', which, for the benefit of non Japanese speakers in the audience, is simply a rather more elegant way of saying 'arigato', a word with which more and more Australians are now becoming familiar. 121