What are congratulatory messages?
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 Queen | 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 |
How to arrange the message?
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.
What anniversaries/birthdays does the Speaker of the NSW Legislative Assembly provide congratulatory messages for?
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.
When to arrange a message
The Office of the Speaker accepts requests for wedding and birthday messages no sooner than six weeks before the celebration.
Can a message be requested after the anniversary/birthday has passed?
Messages can be requested up to three months after the event.
The event was longer than three months ago. Can I still request a belated message?
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.
The celebrators now use a different surname to the one stated on the marriage certificate. Do I need to provide proof?
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.
The applicant cannot supply a copy of the marriage / birth certificate. Can a request proceed without it?
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 celebrator(s) live(s) overseas. Can I still request a message?
The Speaker only sends messages to Australians who are current residents of NSW.
How much does it cost to arrange a message from the Speaker of the NSW Legislative Assembly?
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.
Can the message be sent to someone other than the nominee or person/couple celebrating the event?
Yes. You can nominate a recipient through your MP.
How is the message sent and when it is likely to arrive?
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.
The celebrator(s) has/have received a message before. Do I need to submit a request for subsequent messages?
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.
Is it possible to arrange an anniversary/birthday message to be sent posthumously?
No. It would not be appropriate for the Speaker to send a congratulatory message when a celebrator has passed away.
How will I know if my message request has been received?
The MP submitting the request will receive an email confirming receipt of the request, including a copy of the submitted request details.
Can congratulatory messages from the Speaker be sent via email?
At this time, all congratulatory messages from the Speaker are sent via Australia Post.
