Celebrating 20 years

Her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce AC

This article was published in Living Ethics: issue 79 autumn 2010

This is an address given by Her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce ac, Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, on the occasion of the twentieth anniversary of St James Ethics Centre at Admiralty House, Sydney, on 1 December 2009.

Ladies and gentlemen, may I offer you the very warmest of welcomes to Admiralty House this evening.

Whenever I’m here in this beautiful historic home, I feel energised and uplifted by this sparkling city – it seems to have a magic spell, an uncanny ability to reinvent itself. I’m also learning more about its rich history, the flow of civic life through its cherished architecture and layered spaces.

St James’s church on King Street is a quintessential part of that fabric and scape – its stunning spire an enduring presence in the skyline – its portals and pillars part of the street and community.

Two decades ago, Sydney’s oldest church was the place whose fertile soil brought forth St James Ethics Centre. In 2009, the church celebrates 185 years, and the Ethics Centre – which we celebrate this evening – turns twenty.

Springing from a connection between the church and Sir Vincent Fairfax, the Centre took root. Launched across the water from here at Sydney Opera House in 1989, today it is unique in Australia, unique in the world.

Twenty years seems brief beside 185, but they have provided ample time to grow in stature and influence – with a scope beyond this city, reaching our entire nation in intellectual and practical ways.

I marvel at the breadth of the Centre’s work: from corporate engagement, advocacy and consultancy at the highest levels, to very personal, confidential support through the Ethi-Call phone line. And we have all thoroughly enjoyed the lively Intelligence Squared Australia debates – keeping us attuned and attentive to the most pressing issues of the day.

I was delighted last week to accept the generous invitation to become Patron of the Centre, and I look forward enormously to being part of the journey of this remarkable institution.

My friends, we couldn’t talk about the success of the Centre without praising its inaugural and present Executive Director, Dr Simon Longstaff. It is a lovely thing to be able to acknowledge publicly a friend whom one holds in high esteem, whom one regards with admiration and respect.

I’ve been privileged to know Simon during the eighteen years of his directorship – to sit with him on an ethics board dealing with the complex, controversial issues in emerging reproductive technologies.

I was always so impressed by how well prepared and knowledgable he was; how insightful and challenging his contributions were. I carried that impression with me. I was delighted when he agreed to come to Women’s College from time to time to speak to my scholars – to be part of our community, making us think.

In my years at Government House in Queensland, at dinner he’d throw out thorny ethical questions that nobody could answer. They looked simple, but they weren’t.

I reflected on the special gifts a philosopher brings to discussion: his wisdom and understanding; his fine intellect, training and experience; his forthright offerings and great capacity for friendship. I know you will agree when I acknowledge his leadership of the Centre, and indeed of ethical reflection conversation beyond its walls.

I pore over Living Ethics each quarter – such provocative and morally robust writing; so much to think and talk about; such interesting observations of contemporary life.

One of the most important things the Centre has done is mentoring young ones: fostering the brilliant Vincent Fairfax Fellowship program – growing our leaders, and inculcating a strong sense of ethical deliberation and responsibility.

The Centre has an invaluable focus on the future – in leading and framing national engagement, not only about who we are, but about who we want to be, where, in our finest moments, we want to go. Its role and remit are of greater import as we ponder these questions – in the wake of a global financial crisis, and in the face of rising change to our lifestyle and values.

We look to the Centre more than ever to help us ‘renew our foundations’ and build on them a sound and cohesive civil society.

As your new and proud Patron, I sincerely congratulate you for the wonderful things you do and wish you a very happy twentieth anniversary.