00:00Lieutenant-General Coyle will be the first woman in our nation's history to command the Australian Army.
00:07The Government extends our sincere appreciation to the retiring Chief of Army, Lieutenant-General Simon Stewart, AODSC.
00:16Her achievement means that she will be the first woman to command a service in Australian history
00:23and it is a deeply historic moment, one that should be noted.
00:27As Susan said to me, you cannot be what you cannot see.
00:33And Susan's achievement will be deeply significant to women who are serving in the Australian Defence Force today
00:41and women who are thinking about serving in the Australian Defence Force in the future.
00:46Susan began her life in the Defence Force as an enlisted soldier in 1987, graduated from Duntroon in 1992,
00:56has commanded at every rank that she has held, which is in itself a remarkable achievement,
01:04has most recently been the Chief of Joint Capability at a time where we have been expanding and changing our
01:11capability
01:12and she was very much the standout candidate to be the next Chief of Army after General Stewart.
01:19May I also begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the lands on which we meet tonight,
01:23the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, and pay my respects to Elders past, present.
01:28I also extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
01:34who have contributed to the Defence of Australia in times of peace and war.
01:38I am proudly one of the two Defence Indigenous champions.
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