The Past Student Awards with Ria Bhagat (’12)

In Vanuatu, Ria established deep relationships across government, civil society and media to strengthen Australia’s engagement in the Pacific. She assisted humanitarian responses to Category 5 tropical cyclones and supported Vanuatu to host the landmark Melanesian Arts and Culture Festival, featuring Indigenous performers from across the Pacific.

For those who were unable to join Ria on the evening, below is a copy of her acceptance speech.

“Though I’ve learned a thing or two about diplomatic protocol, I won’t repeat the acknowledgements – other than to say a particular hello to Ms Surtees, Mr Geise, Mr King and Ms Devlin, all of whom taught and, in Ms Surtees’ case, coached me during my years at St Margaret’s. 

While it was a pleasure for me, I’m not so bold to suggest that I was always a pleasure to have in a classroom. Somewhere along the way, my penchant for talking in class (when I shouldn’t have been) has evolved to a career that every so often features talking before an audience. 

My career ambitions spanned foreign correspondent, to paediatrician, to professional athlete (talent notwithstanding) and so on. St Margaret’s, to its credit, nurtured every one of those callings. I know now what a privilege it is to have grown up with the idea that I could do or be anything. 

Though I'm now based in Canberra, it might be overstating it to say that my Year 7 trip to the nation's capital ignited a great passion for politics and policy. When I was in Year 12 the only career I could picture myself doing was being an English teacher, entirely due to my own influential lineup of English teachers. At a closing dinner for the Bond University Mooting Competition, I shared this with a teacher whom I know was beloved by many in this room. In much kinder words than this, Ms Minotti effectively encouraged me to go out and get some life experience before thinking I had anything to teach anyone. 

Foreign policy sat somewhere in the Venn diagram of my law and journalism degrees: law certainly inspired by Ms Minotti and my time in the moot court; journalism a compromise between my love of writing and a reluctance to fully relinquish my dream of becoming a talk show host. 

At its heart, diplomacy is about connection, about finding the things that bind us despite different cultures, languages and beliefs, and even more importantly, working through whatever threatens to push us apart with integrity to our core values. Australia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Penny Wong, has said we need to harness all elements of our national power to advance our interests. Our foreign service is just one of those elements, and it has been my greatest professional honour to represent Australia in Vanuatu and in Kenya, where Australia’s mission is accredited to six countries in East Africa.  

During my three-year posting, Vanuatu faced devastating national disasters, compounding economic pressures and unpredictable political change. In my time working with government, media, athletes and advocates, I came to understand Vanuatu as a young country with a rich culture and enduring spirit. Australia’s past, present and future with the Pacific is interconnected. It’s been put to me before that Queensland is the Pacific-facing state. The Indigenous peoples of Far North Queensland and the Torres Strait are, like Ni-Vanuatu, Melanesian people. Though the region faces immense challenges, we are stronger for facing them together, with optimism and resolve. 

My time in St Margaret’s, a place that not only nurtures but normalises women in leadership, did not shelter me from what I would encounter in the world or the first decade of my career. Instead, I had the courage to navigate it and the confidence to know I deserved a seat at the table – at first to note take, but eventually to speak. When posted to East Africa, I had the opportunity to meet President Samia Suluhu Hassan, the first woman to lead Tanzania. One day, I hope a future diplomat will be able to say the same about the first woman to lead Vanuatu. 

I am deeply honoured to be acknowledged as a Young Past Student of Distinction, in such esteemed company with Prue and Annabelle. In thanking St Margaret’s for the recognition, I’d also like to reflect on three things I will be forever thankful to this school for. 

Firstly, to my teachers. I might remember our allotted biannual coffee and cake day with Mr Cross more than I do calculus. But across the maze of disciplines I figured out what made me tick, and I am eternally indebted to your patience, passion and in Mr Cross’s case – persistence. 

Second, the friends I have made for life: my friend and source of all property advice Kate, and though she couldn’t make it, I have another friend Steph to thank for the surprise nomination for this award.

Finally is the community and sense of strong belonging St Margaret’s fosters, with spirit and inclusivity at the core. I have found links to St Margaret’s in different ways since graduating. I am not the first St Margaret’s girl to become a diplomat, and I’m confident that I won’t be the last.

Most central to community is family. The only reason I got my foot in the door of St Margaret’s is my parents, Nimi and Ranjan, and their unrelenting work to make any opportunities I had possible. I cannot reciprocate love in the form of school lunches packed, assignments proofread or attitude tolerated, but I can hope to provide more interesting places to visit. My brother Samir is part of that equation too, especially in lifts given and physics concepts explained. Though the greatest gift he has given me is our extended St Margaret’s family: my sister-in-law and fellow Old Girl Francesca, and her parents and siblings too. 

I’d finally like to thank the Old Girls' Association and everyone else involved. It’s a rarity for me, and quite a nice change, to not be the one organising the event.

Thank you.”