Speeches
Tuesday, 31 March 2026
General Sir John Monash Foundation Scholars reception
As patron of the General Sir John Monash Foundation, it is my pleasure to welcome you to Government House to celebrate the three new South Australian scholars.
They join an impressive cohort of alumni who are living up to the ideals of General Sir John Monash, who believed in the transformational power of education and the importance of impact, excellence, and service to the community.
By any measure, he was an exceptional Australian, who, in addition to his remarkable military service, used his personal skills and qualifications in engineering, arts and the law for the betterment of the broader community.
The Australian-born son of Jewish migrants, he epitomises the diversity and strength of our multicultural nation.
Through the foundation, which honours his name, each scholar has been given the opportunity to expand their knowledge, gain new insights and build leadership and valuable connections.
Whether the scholars bring those talents home to South Australia or eventually base themselves interstate or overseas, the now 300-strong alumni provide a network of influence and talent that has both deep connections in the state and a global perspective.
I congratulate the three 2026 scholars from South Australia whose areas of postgraduate study we can expect will have lasting impact.
The selection process has been exacting and has involved eminent Australians who are experts in their field.
Each of the 18 scholars across Australia, selected from 360 applications and 120 short-listed interviews, has demonstrated exceptional capacity for leadership and commitment to issues of national importance.
The aspirations of this year’s three South Australian scholars are impressive.
Mr Nick Bradman, we look forward to your work on reforms combatting trade-based money laundering, freeing up funds to support essential government programs.
Mr Linh Co Bui (ling-co Booee), as society grapples with harnessing AI and robotic automation we trust your expertise will help drive innovation and development in this revolutionary area.
Dr Jenny Tran, we wish you all the best in your medical career as you progress to practicing ophthalmology in resource-scarce areas and enable the delivery of outreach services to reduce preventable eye diseases particularly among disadvantaged populations.
Nick, Jenny and Linh Co , while studying at Oxford and Carnegie Mellon Universities, I encourage you to use your time overseas not only to build knowledge but to fully embrace networks while being open to innovative ideas and diverse thinking.
Friends.
It is pleasing that this year the Foundation has awarded its 300th scholarship, a significant milestone that brings total funding awarded to date to $41.1 million.
That’s an impressive investment in nurturing our young, bright people who have much to offer our nation.
I thank all those who have contributed to and supported the Foundation in its work.
It has enabled the scholars to attend 65 international universities and influence the future in medicine, engineering, the law, academia, defence, and business.
They are improving the lives of indigenous Australians; they are improving the lives of children through health, education, and advocacy; they are shaping public policy as government leaders; and they are founding their own organisations as entrepreneurs.
I thank the board and staff of the General Sir John Monash Foundation for the selection of this year’s scholars, for overseeing the scholarship program and for providing ongoing mentorship and support.
Congratulations again to our three South Australian scholars and I am sure everyone here wishes you all the best as you navigate your, and our, futures.