 Well, a very good morning to you and welcome to day one of ABARE's Outlook Conference for 2016 on what must be just about a perfect autumn day here in Canberra. Great to have your company. Wonderful to see such a good crowd here for the start of proceedings today. I'm Lee Radford. I'm the head of rural and national programs for the ABC's Regional Division and absolutely delighted to be conducting proceedings this morning. Incidentally, we're broadcasting from here over the next couple of days. You can follow all the news at abc.net.au slash rural or listen on the country hour, our rural reports or even catch up on a summary of things on landline this Sunday. And if you really feel inspired, you can follow me on Twitter at Captain Rural. Well, great to be here amongst friends and familiar faces. I'm certainly an ABARE's diehard. I've been coming here for the best part of two decades, and I say with all sincerity that it's an event that I really look forward to coming to. It's a great opportunity to hear the latest news and predictions, a great opportunity to network, to connect with people and meet new friends. The theme of Outlook this year is investing in agriculture, growing our future and with a rich range of varied sessions, including things like investing in people, biosecurity, sustainable resource management, innovation, climate variability and of course, all your favourite commodities. A veritable smorgasbord of rich offerings. In a moment, the opening address from the Deputy Prime Minister, the Honourable Barnaby Joyce MP. But first, may I introduce Aunty Agnes Shay OAM, a nunner wool lady who is here this morning to provide the welcome to country. Could you please welcome to the stage Aunty Agnes Shay OAM. Well, good morning everyone. How are you all? I've run a Cambridge lovely mornings. I'm very proud and honoured to be invited here today to welcome you to the land of the nunner wool people. And I do this on behalf of my daughter who's with me, but she doesn't come into these when I do the welcomes, because she says, Mum, I hear enough of you at home. And I think she's right sometimes. But on behalf of Annette and the other nunner wool families, thank the organisations for inviting me. I'm Aunty Agnes Shay and I'm one of the nunner wool elders. And I'd like to say start off by acknowledging our Deputy Prime Minister, Barnaby Joyce, other distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen. And I extend that welcome also to all other elders regardless of your cultures. And now Aboriginal and Torres Island friends who may have joined us today. Also I'd like to acknowledge anyone who may have joined us for the first time in Canberra. And those who've been here before, welcome back. I'll say a bit about the nunner wool community and then I'll quickly explain why Nelda resarks to come and do welcome to country and the meaning of it. Some of you may not be aware that the word Canberra in the nunner wool language means meeting place. Our ancestors believed in the importance of gathering together for the purpose of building relationships, sharing knowledge and traditionally Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island tribes of Australia came together in Canberra to deal with the important business such as the two days event that's happening here, but also for ceremony occasions. I understand that the people at today's meeting came from many different organisations and places. And I am proud to be asked to welcome you all to this, our country by showing respect to the traditional cultures of the land we can build a better Australia for everyone. Now I'll explain why Nelda resarks to come and do welcome. The tradition of welcoming people is a cultural practice and that was handed down by our old people from the beginning of time. And what it means before entering another person's country, you would always announce your arrival and not enter until a traditional owner of that country welcomed you. And the reason for this practice is to protect your spirit while you're in another person's country, but also show respect to the people of the country you're entering. And as one of the non-All Elders, I'm always very proud. When non-Indigenous organisations and government do ask Nelda to come and do welcome to country, it shows that they are also respecting our traditional culture. And it helps to build the reconciliation and bring respect between many cultures of people who now live in the ACT and region, but also throughout Australia. So I'm not going to say much more because it's a very business time. So once again, thank you for having me. I'm very proud and honoured. And when it's time for those who've travelled here, when it's time for you to travel back on to your own countries, I wish you all a very safe and enjoyable journey. And now I'll finish in the language of the non-All People, Nagana, Yerabai, Yangu, which means you're welcome to leave your footprints on our land now, or in other words, welcome to non-All Country. Thank you all. Please enjoy your time while you're on the land of the non-All People. Thank you.