2 May 2013

Chief Minister Gallagher and the Sultan of Brunei

| johnboy
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sultan and chief

Chief Minister Gallagher has let it be known she’s been palm planting with the Sultan of Brunei at the arboretum:

ACT Chief Minister, Katy Gallagher, today joined His Majesty Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, for a ceremonial tree planting at the National Arboretum Canberra.

“A Trachycarpus Fortunei (Windmill palm) which, once mature, stands up to 20 metres tall on a single stem, was planted in the Central Valley area,” the Chief Minister said.

“It is an honour to welcome His Majesty Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, to the National Arboretum, and to Canberra,” the Chief Minister said.

“The Windmill palm planted at the Arboretum today is the first of its kind at the 250 hectare site, and is a very unique tree cultivated for thousands of years due to the strength of its leaf fibres which are used for making ropes, sacks and cloth.”

The tree planting ceremony was the first for the year and the first since the Arboretum was officially opened in February. There has been 47 ceremonial tree plantings at the Arboretum to date, with 33 trees planted by heads of government.

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Deref said :

He seems like a nice enough bloke. Maybe we could solve the republic debate by asking him to be Sultan of Australia.

You would rather Australia become a caliphate instead of a republic?
Surely, you jest.

dungfungus said :

hipman2010 said :

Does anyone know why the Sultan is here for 3 days? (other than to plant a palm) Who invited him? Is the local govt trying to borrow money from him?

He was a guest of the Governor General but he was staying at the Canberra Hyatt where bacon and eggs wasn’t on the menu.
I am sure she would be happy to tell you all about it.

What? No bacon and eggs? And they call themselves a hotel?

He seems like a nice enough bloke. Maybe we could solve the republic debate by asking him to be Sultan of Australia.

hipman2010 said :

Does anyone know why the Sultan is here for 3 days? (other than to plant a palm) Who invited him? Is the local govt trying to borrow money from him?

He was a guest of the Governor General but he was staying at the Canberra Hyatt where bacon and eggs wasn’t on the menu.
I am sure she would be happy to tell you all about it.

Does anyone know why the Sultan is here for 3 days? (other than to plant a palm) Who invited him? Is the local govt trying to borrow money from him?

HiddenDragon said :

dungfungus said :

HiddenDragon said :

I wonder if His Majesty would like to buy the Arboretum? Come to think of it, why stop there, why not make an offer for the whole town – that would just about solve the budget worries.

If he bought Canberra there would be no more problems with public consultations about where mosques could be built. The car parks for his 500 odd cars may be a problem though.

In other words he wouldn’t bother pretending to consult – so there’d be little real difference(?)

Yes, as long as the outcome is is the desired one the process matters little.

HiddenDragon11:06 am 03 May 13

dungfungus said :

HiddenDragon said :

I wonder if His Majesty would like to buy the Arboretum? Come to think of it, why stop there, why not make an offer for the whole town – that would just about solve the budget worries.

If he bought Canberra there would be no more problems with public consultations about where mosques could be built. The car parks for his 500 odd cars may be a problem though.

In other words he wouldn’t bother pretending to consult – so there’d be little real difference(?)

HiddenDragon said :

I wonder if His Majesty would like to buy the Arboretum? Come to think of it, why stop there, why not make an offer for the whole town – that would just about solve the budget worries.

If he bought Canberra there would be no more problems with public consultations about where mosques could be built. The car parks for his 500 odd cars may be a problem though.

HiddenDragon10:28 am 03 May 13

I wonder if His Majesty would like to buy the Arboretum? Come to think of it, why stop there, why not make an offer for the whole town – that would just about solve the budget worries.

Where are the trees? I thought they were at an arboretum, not a wasteland.

Holden Caulfield9:56 am 03 May 13

Full marks for the hipster filter effect on the happy snap.

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