Queen praises Australians' courage

CANBERRA, Australia, Oct. 21 (UPI) -- Britain's Queen Elizabeth II praised Australians' courage during a year of floods and hurricanes at a reception Friday at Parliament House.

The speech was the queen's first in public since she arrived in Canberra Wednesday, The Australian reported. She paid tribute to the 29 Australian soldiers who have died in Afghanistan, saying she mourned with their families.

"The world witnesses the anguish of Australians as they lived through a summer of natural disasters," she said.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard, who has advocated converting Australia to a republic after Elizabeth's death, praised her as a monarch "who has spent her life in the cause of duty." Tony Abbott, the leader of the opposition, also paid tribute to Prince Philip as a royal spouse who has enlivened "what might otherwise be a stuffy institution."

The queen is in Australia to open the Commonwealth Summit in Perth next week. She extended her itinerary with a week in Canberra and daytrips to Brisbane and Melbourne for what could be her last visit to Australia.

In 1954, Elizabeth became the first reigning monarch to visit the country. Her current trip is her 16th.