On Friday 29 November the Riverview community gathered to farewell Dr. Paul Hine, School Principal of 12 years, and his wife, Dr Ann Hine. 

The College has experienced significant growth and transformation throughout Dr Paul Hine's tenure. From the academic achievements to the development of the campus and the strengthening of our pastoral care framework, Paul's leadership has left a significant mark on our community. 

"My words tonight are ones of gratitude" Dr Hine said. Dr Hine began by acknowledging the great work that Caleb Taylor does in order to bring our young men to the mountain of learning. He mentioned a member of this year's graduating class who had undertaken extension English. "One of the great gaps in this country is the divide between literacy First Nations and non-First Nations students. That student has not only completed extension English at a high level, but indeed his special work has been chosen to be amongst the best of the best by the Education Authority in New South Wales. That is truly extraordinary". 

 As a token of gratitude, a gift from the College Community was presented to Paul and Ann: A First Nations topographical artwork of Riverview, created by artist Brenden Broadbent. "I want to thank the Provincial Fr Quyen and the Society, for the trust that is invested in us in the stewardship of this school. That trust is something that I take seriously, and it is something that all the Directors and leaders at the School take very seriously. To the two other Provincials that I've worked with, to our Rectors who I've worked with three Provincials, Four rectors. It's been a great journey…it's the Rectors that animate the faith life of the College and keep us authentic to our charter." 

"I just wanted to recognise three Chairs of the Board, Paul Robertson, who employed me, and someone who's been a great voice of wisdom and counsel over the years, John Wilcox, under which the Board became incorporated in 2017 and move into a space of Company limited by guarantee under the Corporations Law, which has shored the school up into its future, which is outstanding." 

"I do also want to thank the Directors of the Board, there are a number of them here tonight. They were tasked with an invisible challenge, and it shores where we strategically need to be. I applaud the expertise around that table." 

Dr Hine spoke of the School being a living site. "Every day here we have 400 people living on site, which is bigger than some of the towns our boarders come from. The infrastructure is massive, the compliance issues are massive, and the governance is enormous, so the interface between governance and operations is what makes it work. I thank the Board and the Executive." 

He thanked the Executive and staff, many of them were present in the Ramsay Hall. Finally, Paul gave a special shout out to the Old Ignatians' Union and the P&F. "What we have is a complementarity that is rare. I mean this sincerely, having been in other schools where sometimes there's a P&F agenda, there's an Old Boys' Agenda, and there's a School agenda, and we're trying to come up and mix and match and make them work.

The interface and the symbiosis between these groups here make this place a community of common purpose and common interest, and that's what makes it work in the way that it does, and may I say an enormous thanks to you both." In the end, he was joined on stage by his greatest supporter, Ann. 

On behalf of the Union, we congratulate Dr. Hine on his outstanding achievements and wish him and Dr. Ann Hine all the very best for the future.