The Prime Minister paid tribute to the Queen's 'extraordinary life dedicated to service', while the Opposition Leader praised her 'unwavering and impeccable duty', at the National Memorial Service.
Hundreds gathered at Parliament House's Great Hall to remember Her Majesty's"extraordinary life dedicated to service", two weeks after she died at Balmoral aged 96. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese spoke at the memorial service - a day after arriving back in Australia from attending the Queen's state funeral in London - alongside Opposition Leader Peter Dutton.
The memorial service was held as Australians honoured Britain's longest-reigning monarch during a national day of mourning. Stream Sky News live & on demand with Flash. 25+ news channels in 1 place. New to Flash? Try 1 month free. Offer ends 31 October, 2022 The National Memorial Service for Queen Elizabeth II was held at Parliament House's Great Hall in Canberra on Thursday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage Prime Minister Anthony Albanese paid tribute to the Queen's"extraordinary life dedicated to service". Picture: Martin Ollman/Getty Images "We gather today - around our nation - to offer Australia's thanks for an extraordinary life dedicated to service, faith, country and Commonwealth," Mr Albanese said. "Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was the longest-serving monarch in the history of a centuries-old institution. Her reign spanned more than half the life of our modern Federation. "And we proudly honour her memory today on a continent home to the world's oldest continuous culture - paying respect to traditional owners and elders past, present and emerging." Mr Albanese reflected on the Queen's 16 visits to Australia during her 70-year reign, where he noted she"connected with every part of Australia".Opposition Leader Peter Dutton praised Her Majesty's"unwavering and impeccable duty". Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage Former prime minister John Howard and wife Janette arrive for the National Memorial Service for Queen Elizabeth II. Picture: Martin Ollman/Getty Images Former prime minster Scott Morrison and wife Jenny attended the memorial service in Canberra. Picture: Martin Ollman/Getty Images Former prime minister Paul Keating and Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews at the National Memorial Service. Picture: Martin Ollman/Getty Images "So many Australians have shared their memories – of a kind word, a gesture of respect, or a thoughtful act of grace in an always-busy day. "With Prince Philip at her side, the Queen embraced the scale of this vast nation: the breadth of our continent, the depth of our people's hearts, the warmth of our humour." Mr Dutton during his address praised the Queen's"unwavering and impeccable duty" and said her 70 years as monarch"was a truly extraordinary reign". "Never in modern history has there been a more dignified monarch, a more dutiful leader, or a more decent human than Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II," he said. "If 'grief is the price we pay for love', then the outpouring of global grief in these past fourteen days speaks to just how much she was loved. "Hers was a truly extraordinary reign – the longest serving monarch in British history. Seventy years of unwavering and impeccable duty. More than one-hundred countries visited, including our own on 16 occasions." The Opposition Leader added the Queen"regenerated the monarchy, leaving an institution fortified for the future".
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Queen Elizabeth II represented ‘much more than the monarchy’: AlbanesePrime Minister Anthony Albanese has paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth II during the national memorial service at Parliament House, saying she was a “rare and reassuring constant in a world of change”. “In an age of performative celebrity, the Queen embodied quiet dignity. In an era of fads and fashionable causes, the Queen did not seek to chase the times – instead, she held to qualities and virtues that are timeless,' Mr Albanese said. “Love of family, loyalty to country, service to community, kindness to those in need, respect for everyone she met. “In this, she represented much more than the monarchy. 'She stood for things that Australians loved and admired most about our own parents and our grandparents – their decency, their wisdom, their patience, their work ethic, their instinct for service above self.”
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