Mayors and General Managers from Councils across rural, remote and regional NSW were inspired by a recent speech given by Former Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, General Sir Peter Cosgrove AK, CVO, MC (Rtd). He was the special guest speaker at a Country Mayors Association of NSW (CMA) reception, hosted by New South Wales Legislative Council President, The Hon. Ben Franklin MLC in the Jubilee Room of NSW Parliament House.
“To hear Sir Peter’s reflections of his time in the military and as our Governor-General first-hand is an honour and a privilege. This was an audience with a truly great Australian, a living legend, who served his country with distinction for many years,” CMA Chairman, Mayor Rick Firman OAM, of Temora Shire Council said. “It was my pleasure to present Sir Peter Cosgrove with a CMA pin.”
“All of those in attendance appreciated that Sir Peter recognised the important work of rural, remote and regional Mayors and their Councils, particularly in disaster recovery efforts – something he dealt with for decades in his various disaster response leadership roles,” he said.
“Local Government in the bush is an extraordinarily important part of our democratic fabric,” Sir Peter said.
On 23 March 2006, Sir Peter was selected to lead the Queensland Government taskforce of rebuilding communities damaged by Cyclone Larry, a Category 5 tropical cyclone that devastated the Innisfail region of northern Queensland. He was 27 years-old when Cyclone Tracy flattened Darwin on Christmas morning in 1974. Sir Peter spoke of his experiences in the aftermath of such disasters, when he has seen Australians suffering their worst of days and our communities and their leaders at their best.
“Communication is the conduit of leadership from the Prime Minister down to the leading hand of a small group of council workers fixing the roads. Leadership uncommunicated is leadership unrequited,” he said.
Sir Peter graduated from the Royal Military College Duntroon in 1968. His first deployment was in
Malaysia with the 1st Battalion RAR and later in Vietnam he commanded an infantry platoon. He served as Commander of INTERFET in East Timor in 1999 overseeing that country’s transition to independence. Then promoted to Chief of Army and later Chief of the Australian Defence Force. He retired from the ADF in 2005 serving on several boards before becoming a Knight in the Order of Australia when sworn in as Governor‐General in 2014 and serving until June 2019. Sir Peter was appointed a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order by Her Majesty the Queen in August 2019.
In April 2023 Sir Peter was commissioned by His Majesty King Charles III at the recommendation of Prime Minister Albanese to serve when required as the Administrator of the Commonwealth Government of Australia.
“Our 89 rural, remote and regional NSW Council Mayors and General Managers, are most grateful for this inspirational evening and all were keen for a photo with General Sir Peter Cosgrove. He truly is an Australian treasure,” Mayor Firman said.