Sam Mostyn spoke about the power of love, kindness and uplifting care work while being sworn in as the next Governor General of Australia.
Mostyn is the 28th person to serve in the role and only the second woman.
Her words of “aspiration” for the country were shared while standing in between the prime minister and Opposition leader in Parliament this morning.
“I believe these testing times call for an unstinting focus on kindness, on care and on respect,” she said.
Mostyn spoke about her career and past decade as providing her with the opportunity to see how “care can be an uplifting force. I have seen it in the reform of workplaces, where inclusion and respect now prevail.”
Mostyn said she has seen the uplifting of care as a force in the renewed focus on the roles of teachers, nurses, care workers, volunteers and all frontline workers, not just during the crises of bushfires, floods and COVID-19 but also elsewhere also.
“I have seen it in the advancement of women in all parts of society, in leadership roles, sport, in economics, our regulators, even slowly but importantly in the trades and on building sites,” she said.
“While too much paid and unpaid care still falls to women, we are now focused on addressing that challenge while also encouraging men to confidently take on care roles and responsibilities with pride. That’s not just good for women and men but for our economy and our entire Australian society.”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described her as “the right leader” and spoke about Mostyn being a “person of intelligence and compassion. Of loyalty and integrity.”
“You have clear eyes and a big heart — and both have shaped your vision of who and what we can be as a nation.”
He noted her experience in law, business, sport, corporates and the not for profit sector where he said she has always been ready to put herself forward for others.
“You have walked the talk, a human catalyst with an unrelenting capacity for making things happen.”