A congratulatory message from the Speaker is available for significant anniversaries and birthdays. To arrange a message from the Speaker you should contact the State Member of Parliament of the person / couple celebrating the occasion.
You will need to provide supporting documentation like a birth certificate or marriage certificate (photocopies of originals are accepted). If these are not available you can provide a statutory declaration. Statutory declaration forms are available at any Post Office.
The request can be lodged six weeks before an event and up to three months after an event.
The Office of the Speaker will endeavour to arrange each message within 10 working days of receipt of the request.
Congratulatory messages from the Speaker can be sent to those celebrating:
| | Wedding anniversaries | Birthdays | |
| | 50th | 80th | |
| | 60th | 90th | |
| | 65th | 95th and every year thereafter | |
| | 70th and every year thereafter | 100th and every year thereafter | |
For more information please see our frequently asked questions below or contact the office of your State Member of Parliament for advice on the process.
Australians residing in New South Wales celebrating a special birthday or wedding anniversary can receive a personal letter of congratulations from the Speaker of the NSW Legislative Assembly.
Upon request, the Speaker will send a message of congratulations to NSW residents turning 80 years of age and every fifth year thereafter up to 90 and then every year thereafter.
The Speaker also sends messages to couples celebrating 50 years of marriage and every fifth year thereafter up to 70 years of marriage and then every year thereafter.
This table outlines eligibility requirements for Congratulatory Messages
| | 50th Wedding Anniversary | 50th plus Wedding Anniversary | 80th plus Birthday | 90th Birthday | 90th plus Birthday |
| NSW Premier | Yes | Yes | 80th and every 5th year thereafter | Yes | Yes |
| Prime Minister | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Governor of NSW | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Governor-General | Yes | Yes | No | No | 100th and every year thereafter |
| The King | No | 60th and every 5th year thereafter | No | No | 100th and every year thereafter |
| Speaker | Yes | 60th and every 5th year thereafter | 80th and every 5th year thereafter | Yes | Yes |
To arrange a message from the Speaker you should contact the State Member of Parliament (MP) of the person / couple celebrating the occasion.
You will need to provide supporting documentation like a birth certificate or marriage certificate (photocopies of originals are accepted). If these are not available you can provide a statutory declaration. Statutory declaration forms are available at any Post Office.
To arrange a message from the Speaker you should contact the State Member of Parliament (MP) of the person/couple celebrating the occasion.
The Speaker sends messages of congratulations for 50th, 60th, 65th, 70th and all subsequent wedding anniversaries. The Speaker also sends messages for 80th birthdays and every fifth year thereafter up to 90th and every year thereafter.
The Office of the Speaker accepts requests for wedding and birthday messages no sooner than six weeks before the celebration.
Messages can be requested up to three months after the event.
Unfortunately, it is not possible to arrange a message for an event which took place more than three months previously. However, it may be possible to arrange a message for a subsequent anniversary/birthday. A message request should be made as usual, up to six weeks before the next eligible anniversary/birthday.
Yes. If the couple's surname has changed since their marriage, is it essential to provide the MP submitting the request with proof of the name change. This can be a copy of the Deed Poll. If no official documentation can be found to support the name change, a congratulatory message can still be arranged in the name as stated on the marriage certificate.
If the applicant cannot supply a copy of the marriage / birth certificate, then they should provide a Statutory Declaration in its place. MPs submitting the request accept responsibility for the bona fides of the request.
The Speaker only sends messages to Australians who are current residents of NSW.
No charge is made to send a message of congratulations from the Speaker. However, there may be a small fee to purchase a Statutory Declaration form if needed. This fee is the responsibility of the nominee or person seeking the congratulatory message.
Yes. You can nominate a recipient through your MP.
The Speaker's messages are sent via Australia Post and the Office of the Speaker will endeavour to dispatch a congratulatory message to the nominated recipient within 10 working days of receipt of the request from the MP.
Yes. Speaker's messages will only be provided on receipt of formal requests. MPs can do this by completing and submitting the online request form each time a message is required.
No. It would not be appropriate for the Speaker to send a congratulatory message when a celebrator has passed away.
The MP submitting the request will receive an email confirming receipt of the request, including a copy of the submitted request details.
At this time, all congratulatory messages from the Speaker are sent via Australia Post.