Mongolian Parliamentarian Delegation Morning Tea

EMS Global Chair, Dr Hamish McLean; Head of the Mongolian Parliamentarian Delegation, Ms Enkhnasan Lutaa and delegates; representing the Vice Chancellor of Griffith University, Provost, Professor Liz Burd; representing the Queensland Ambulance Service, Deputy Medical Director, Dr Claire Bertenshaw; distinguished guests.

As is our custom here in Australia, I begin by acknowledging the Traditional Owners of the lands around Brisbane, the Turrbal and Jagera people, and pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging.

Graeme and I are honoured and delighted to host this prestigious delegation today and, on behalf of all Queenslanders, I welcome you to Government House, to our State, and to Australia.

Australians have long been drawn to the far horizons and endless expanse of Mongolia’s grassy steppes and deserts. It’s a landscape that feels very familiar to us. Consequently, we understand what it is like for families and small communities to live in isolation – and how difficult it is to provide them with adequate emergency medical care.

Throughout my long career in medical administration, including 16 years as Queensland’s Chief Health Officer, I was very aware of the critical importance of bridging the care gap between the Queenslanders who live in our cities and the two per cent who live in the Outback.

I am very proud of the results we have achieved through our integrated network of services, from our policy frameworks, emergency call centres and Telehealth, as well as our iconic Flying Doctor service.

I congratulate and thank Dr McLean and the EMS Global team at Griffith University and their Mongolian collaborators on the impressive progress made since 2017 to strengthen Mongolia’s emergency care capability.

Equally, I thank the World Bank for its support of this project, and congratulate the Government of Mongolia on its commitment to improving patient outcomes by implementing sustainable and cost-effective Emergency Medical Services. Tours such as this are a vital part of that commitment, and I hope your five-day stay here in Queensland is both fruitful and enjoyable.

We may have a relatively small Mongolian population here in Queensland, but they are served by an exceptionally active Mongolian Community Association which reaches out to all Queenslanders, giving us the opportunity to enjoy annual celebrations such as Mongolian New Year, Mongolian Independence Day, and Naadam, and to learn more about Mongolian history and culture.

One of the most important aspects of that culture is, of course, your country’s long and proud tradition of exceptional horsemanship. That tradition has been symbolised for more than eight centuries by the unique horse-head fiddle, and I am thrilled that we will shortly be honoured with a morin khuur performance by Enerel.

Today, that quintessential sound can be heard even in the music of Mongolian heavy metal bands, but at its heart, it remains the much-loved folk instrument that has earned its UNESCO designation as a ‘Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity’.

Thank you again for being here this morning and for sharing this musical treasure with us. I look forward to hearing the performance and wish you all well for a successful visit.