HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.R. NO. |
129 |
TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2011 |
H.D. 1 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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HOUSE RESOLUTION
REQUESTING THE GOVERNOR TO ESTABLISH A SISTER-STATE RELATIONSHIP THROUGH THE HAWAII SISTER-STATE COMMITTEE WITH QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA FOR ECONOMIC, CULTURAL, AND INTELLECTUAL BENEFITS.
WHEREAS, the State of Hawaii is actively seeking to expand its international ties and has an abiding interest in developing goodwill, friendship, and economic relations between the people of Hawaii and the people of Queensland, Australia; and
WHEREAS, as part of its effort to achieve this goal, Hawaii has established a number of sister-state agreements with areas bordered by the Pacific Ocean; and
WHEREAS, historical precedent exists which exemplify a common desire to maintain a close cultural, commercial, and financial bridge between Australians living in Hawaii and their relatives, friends, and business counterparts in Australia, and the establishment of sister-state relations between the State of Hawaii and Queensland, Australia would help reinforce and cement this common bridge; and
WHEREAS, Queensland and Hawaii have much in common, as Queensland is often nicknamed the Sunshine State since it enjoys warm weather and a sizeable portion of the state is in the tropics, and Hawaii is officially nicknamed the Aloha State for its warm hospitality and loving attitude to everyone; and
WHEREAS, similar to Hawaii, Queensland features
tropical and agricultural industries with the harvesting of bananas,
pineapples, peanuts, grain crops, wineries, cattle raising, cotton, sugar cane,
and wool; and
WHEREAS, in addition, Queensland relies heavily on tourism, with millions
of interstate and overseas visitors flocking to the Sunshine State annually,
generating $4 billion each year, as tourists are naturally drawn to the
Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast featuring the state's most popular beaches;
the Bunya Mountains and the Great Dividing Range with numerous lookouts,
waterfalls and picnic areas; Carnarvon Gorge; and Whitsunday Islands and
Hinchinbrook Island; and
WHEREAS, Queensland and Hawaii also feature similar executive authorities as each is led by a governor, and both states exhibit parallels in the diverse number of universities, passion for athletics competition, and rail transportation; and
WHEREAS, the geographic location of Hawaii presents an outstanding opportunity to promote global connectivity with Queensland, Australia for the purposes of proliferating meaningful and mutually rewarding international friendships, understanding between cultures, economic and social vitality, scientific and technological advancement, and enhanced regional security; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-sixth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2011, that the Governor is requested to take action to establish a sister-state relationship through the Hawaii Sister-State Committee between Hawaii and Queensland, Australia for economic, cultural, and intellectual benefits; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Governor and Hawaii Sister-State Committee are requested to keep this body fully informed of the process in establishing the relationship and to be involved in its formalization; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States; Governor; Chairperson of the Board of Directors and President of the Hawaii Tourism Authority; Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Chairperson of the Hawaii Sister-State Committee; Governor of Queensland, Australia; and Premier of Queensland, Australia.
Queensland Australia