 |
Progressing the World Expo '88 Vision
- A non-government not-for-profit entity celebrating Brisbane's World Expo '88 -
Academic Forum
Opening and Closing Ceremony Speeches
"Opening Ceremony Speeches, National Day Speeches, Closing Ceremony Speeches"
Office of the Commissioner-General, World Expo '88
Closing Ceremony
The Honourable M.J. Ahern MLA
Premier and Treasurer of Queensland
PRIME MINISTER; FRIENDS ALL
LET'S DO IT AGAIN SOMETIME ...
EXPO ISN'T REALLY OVER: WE'VE JUST TURNED OFF THE LIGHTS ..... BUT THE SPIRIT LIVES ON.
YOU KNOW, THE COMMENT I HEARD REPEATED MOST OFTEN DURING EXPO WAS: "I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS IS BRISBANE".
IT'S CERTAIN - THE OLD TOWN WILL NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN.
WE WILL NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN.
WORLD EXPO CHANGED OUR LIVES IN HUNDREDS OF LITTLE WAYS ..... BUT MOSTLY IT CHANGED OUR ATTITUDES .......
TO BRISBANE -
TO QUEENSLAND -
TO AUSTRALIA -
AND TO OURSELVES.
WE'RE A MORE CONFIDENT PEOPLE NOW.
WE KNOW WE CAN DO ANYTHING ..... IN FACT WE KNOW WE CAN DO EVERYTHING.
WE'VE GOT EXPO CONFIDENCE. LET'S HANG ON TO IT ..... AND BUILD ON IT FOR THE NEXT BIG ONE - THE OLYMPICS MAYBE.
THE CRITICS OF EXPO HAVE BEEN TRAMPLED BY THE FIFTEEN MILLION PAIRS OF FEET THAT MARCHED THROUGH THE EXPO GATES; YOU MIGHT SAY EXPO PUT THE QUEUE BACK INTO QUEENSLAND!
LET'S NOT MOURN THE PASSING OF EXPO TODAY; LET'S CELEBRATE THE DISCOVERY OF THE REAL QUEENSLAND.
AND WHILST WE'RE AT IT ..... I'D ASK YOU TO JOIN ME IN GIVING A PAT ON THE BACK TO SIR JOH BJELKE-PETERSEN WHO HAD THE VISION TO GO FOR EXPO IN 88; AND SIR LLEW EDWARDS AND HIS TEAM WHO HELPED MAKE THAT VISION A SPECTACULAR REALITY.
A REALITY THAT CAUGHT AND HELD THE EYE OF THE WORLD.
AS SOMEONE WHO REPRESENTS THE MAJOR BENEFICIARY - QUEENSLAND - I WANT TO SAY A BIG THANKYOU TO YOU, TO AUSTRALIA, AND TO THE WORLD.
QUEENSLAND, TAKE A BOW - AND THANKS.
TO BRISBANE -
TO QUEENSLAND -
TO AUSTRALIA -
AND TO OURSELVES.
WE'RE A MORE CONFIDENT PEOPLE NOW.
WE KNOW WE CAN DO ANYTHING ..... IN FACT WE KNOW WE CAN DO EVERYTHING.
WE'VE GOT EXPO CONFIDENCE. LET'S HANG ON TO IT ..... AND BUILD ON IT FOR THE NEXT BIG ONE - THE OLYMPICS MAYBE.
THE CRITICS OF EXPO HAVE BEEN TRAMPLED BY THE FIFTEEN MILLION PAIRS OF FEET THAT MARCHED THROUGH THE EXPO GATES; YOU MIGHT SAY EXPO PUT THE QUEUE BACK INTO QUEENSLAND!
LET'S NOT MOURN THE PASSING OF EXPO TODAY; LET'S CELEBRATE THE DISCOVERY OF THE REAL QUEENSLAND.
AND WHILST WE'RE AT IT ..... I'D ASK YOU TO JOIN ME IN GIVING A PAT ON THE BACK TO SIR JOH BJELKE-PETERSEN WHO HAD THE VISION TO GO FOR EXPO IN 88; AND SIR LLEW EDWARDS AND HIS TEAM WHO HELPED MAKE THAT VISION A SPECTACULAR REALITY.
A REALITY THAT CAUGHT AND HELD THE EYE OF THE WORLD.
AS SOMEONE WHO REPRESENTS THE MAJOR BENEFICIARY - QUEENSLAND - I WANT TO SAY A BIG THANKYOU TO YOU, TO AUSTRALIA, AND TO THE WORLD.
QUEENSLAND, TAKE A BOW - AND THANKS.