I am delighted to be here at the Royal Australian Mint to unveil the new $1 circulating coin design for 2008, which commemorates the Centenary of Scouts Australia.
I am honoured to be joined by the Hon Sir William Deane, the National President of Scouts Australia and John Ravenhall, the Chief Commissioner of Scouts Australia and Ian Langford-Brown, Chairman of the National Executive Committee of Scouts Australia.
What a fitting day it is to be launching a coin in celebration of 100 years of scouting in Australia. As many of you are aware, today marks Founder's Day to celebrate the birthday of Lord Baden-Powell.
Over the past 100 years, scouting has grown from one man's idea, about encouraging boys to develop valuable skills through camping expeditions and games, to the largest youth movement in the world. This movement is 28 million members strong and stretches across over 155 countries. Today, we are proud to celebrate this special occasion along with 60,000 scouts around Australia.
Scouts have an incredible record of success in contributing to their communities, many becoming national and international leaders. Eleven of the 12 men who have walked on the moon, former US President Bill Clinton, Walt Disney and David Beckham were all active Scouts.
Closer to home the scouting movement has seen the involvement of world champion driver Sir Jack Brabham, TV personality Jamie Durie and adventurer and businessman Dick Smith.
I am pleased that the Government has been able to recognise the fine work of Scouts Australia by declaring 2008 the Year of the Scout and in approving the special circulating coin and designs for the range of collector coins in gold, silver and cupronickel.
On 4 February 2008, the Royal Australian Mint released for sale its Year of the Scout Collector Coin Series, in celebration of Scouts Australia's historic milestone.
The Gold Proof coin captures an abstract portrait of World Chief Scout; Lord Baden-Powell. This coin is a lasting impression of his tremendous commitment to boyhood development and world peace.
The Fine Silver Proof coin highlights the irrepressible spirit that scouting exemplifies. This coin features several significant scouting symbols, including the world membership badge, the three fold promise and the Australian spirit flame.
The 50 cent cupronickel collector coin features some of the hallmarks of scouting, including outdoor activities, community engagement and a vision for the future.
Today, we launch the Scouts commemorative one dollar coin, which will enter circulation in 2008 along with the standard one dollar, five kangaroos design. Both coins are the same shape, size and metal composition, with the only difference being the reverse design. Australians can expect to start seeing the Scout coin in their change from around April 2008.
The specially designed circulating $1 coin and Year of the Scouts Series of collector coins by the Royal Australian Mint will help raise public awareness of the Scout movement and pay tribute to Scouts Australia's 100 year anniversary.
So, again thank you for coming here today to mark this important moment, a lasting commemoration of a truly extraordinary organisation, the Scouts.