The Governor and Mrs Dawson hosted members and supporters of the Western Australian Cook Society at Government House, celebrating the enduring relationship between Australia and the United Kingdom.

The reception provided an opportunity to reflect on the longstanding connections between the two nations, as well as the role of the Western Australian Cook Society in strengthening those ties through business, culture, research, education and international relations.

The Cook Society was founded in 1969 by Sir Alec Douglas-Home and Sir Robert Menzies, with the aim of bringing people together to build stronger relations between Australia and the United Kingdom.

The Western Australian Cook Society celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2024 and is affiliated with The Britain-Australia Society in the United Kingdom.

Members of the Society recently travelled to the UK in July as part of the organisation’s two-year reciprocal visit, led by Chairperson and former Governor of Western Australia, the Honourable Kerry Sanderson AC CVO.

In his address, the Governor reflected on the privilege of serving as The King’s representative in Western Australia and his experiences meeting and corresponding with His Majesty King Charles III.

“I have found our King to be humble, keenly intelligent and genuinely interested in Western Australia,” the Governor said.

“He is what I would describe as an active listener and conversationalist.”

The Governor also spoke about the priorities that have guided his and Mrs Dawson’s work during their time in office, including supporting Aboriginal people, advocating for children and young people, developing emerging leaders, celebrating volunteering and strengthening trust in Australia’s institutions.

Reflecting on the Australia–UK relationship, the Governor said the two nations’ shared history and democratic values provided a strong foundation for the future.

“Our modern relationship is robust, dynamic, and crucial for global stability,” he said.

“We can see this of course in the landmark AUKUS agreement. It is a statement of trust and strategic alignment between our nations. Western Australia is at the very heart of this endeavour, and we are very proud to be so.”

Mrs Sanderson provided an update on the Western Australian Cook Society’s activities, including the Society’s recent visit to the UK before offering a vote of thanks to the Governor for hosting the reception.

The evening concluded with a lighter reflection on another enduring connection between the two countries – cricket – with the Governor turning his attention to the Ashes.

“The United Kingdom gave us the game of cricket – we will always be eternally grateful for that,” he said.

“And we are also grateful that once every few years, when the English play the greatest Test side in the world – they promptly forget how to play the game they invented!”

The reception celebrated not only a historic friendship, but the people and organisations continuing to strengthen the relationship between Australia and the United Kingdom for generations to come.

Government House Western Australia

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