1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:02,800 S1: Well, being a paramedic and committing years to the New 2 00:00:02,800 --> 00:00:06,320 S1: South Wales Ambulance Service is forever challenging, but it is 3 00:00:06,320 --> 00:00:11,360 S1: also deeply rewarding. Our paramedics rush into crises and chaos, 4 00:00:11,360 --> 00:00:14,600 S1: all whilst providing calm and care. Doing so with the 5 00:00:14,600 --> 00:00:19,079 S1: utmost professionalism. Today, doctor Dominic Morgan will complete his final 6 00:00:19,079 --> 00:00:22,360 S1: day as the New South Wales Ambulance chief executive after 7 00:00:22,360 --> 00:00:24,720 S1: being in the role for ten years. By the end 8 00:00:24,720 --> 00:00:28,080 S1: of today, he'll finish a total of 40 years of service, 9 00:00:28,120 --> 00:00:32,440 S1: ambulance experience and contribution to public health care spanning roles 10 00:00:32,440 --> 00:00:35,960 S1: from the front line to senior leadership. His guidance in 11 00:00:35,960 --> 00:00:39,240 S1: trying times has been second to none, especially in moments 12 00:00:39,240 --> 00:00:41,800 S1: where our public health system responded to some of the 13 00:00:41,800 --> 00:00:45,400 S1: most challenging events. Dominic has spent the earliest of mornings 14 00:00:45,400 --> 00:00:48,200 S1: and the latest of nights on the longest of days, 15 00:00:48,200 --> 00:00:50,880 S1: trying to make our health system a better one and 16 00:00:50,880 --> 00:00:54,240 S1: to do that for ten years as chief executive, but 17 00:00:54,240 --> 00:00:57,440 S1: 40 years in the service. I'll tell you what is unbelievable, 18 00:00:57,440 --> 00:01:00,030 S1: and I'm pleased to say the retiring New South Wales 19 00:01:00,030 --> 00:01:03,590 S1: Ambulance Commissioner and chief executive doctor Dominic Morgan is here 20 00:01:03,590 --> 00:01:06,070 S1: in the studio with me. Doctor Morgan, it is so 21 00:01:06,069 --> 00:01:08,990 S1: good to see you mate. Congratulations on a wonderful career. 22 00:01:09,030 --> 00:01:11,430 S2: Oh, thank you so much Mark, I really appreciate. They're 23 00:01:11,430 --> 00:01:12,910 S2: really big numbers aren't they? 24 00:01:14,590 --> 00:01:16,990 S1: I know you're a very shy and humble bloke, but 25 00:01:16,990 --> 00:01:20,070 S1: I think today really needs to be about you because 26 00:01:20,110 --> 00:01:21,950 S1: as you know, I'm a big supporter of what our 27 00:01:21,950 --> 00:01:25,350 S1: emergency services do. And that was never more evident on 28 00:01:25,350 --> 00:01:28,430 S1: December 14th of last year with what happened down at Bondi. 29 00:01:28,430 --> 00:01:30,950 S1: But mate, it's it must have been one hell of 30 00:01:30,990 --> 00:01:32,910 S1: a ride. When you think back 40 years to when 31 00:01:32,910 --> 00:01:35,789 S1: you first started out to today being the last day 32 00:01:36,510 --> 00:01:38,789 S1: involved in New South Wales Ambulance. How are you feeling, mate? 33 00:01:38,830 --> 00:01:40,149 S1: How do you feel about the whole thing? 34 00:01:40,510 --> 00:01:42,590 S2: I've got to say, I think the whole thing's really 35 00:01:42,590 --> 00:01:46,110 S2: quite surreal. Um, when we're talking about these things and 36 00:01:46,110 --> 00:01:47,830 S2: a bit about my history and things like that, it 37 00:01:47,830 --> 00:01:50,630 S2: almost feels like I'm talking about somebody else and, you know, 38 00:01:50,670 --> 00:01:55,070 S2: somebody else's career. But I have to say, um, if 39 00:01:55,070 --> 00:01:57,230 S2: I summed it up in a word, I've had a cracker. 40 00:01:57,270 --> 00:01:58,030 S1: Yeah, yeah. 41 00:01:58,070 --> 00:01:59,510 S2: It's been a great career. 42 00:01:59,550 --> 00:02:02,350 S1: Just to, to pull on that uniform every day to 43 00:02:02,390 --> 00:02:04,590 S1: go to work. I'm assuming it's like my job every 44 00:02:04,630 --> 00:02:07,390 S1: day is different, but you're saving lives. You're helping people. 45 00:02:07,710 --> 00:02:09,070 S1: That must mean the world to you. 46 00:02:09,630 --> 00:02:13,429 S2: There is from the day I joined the job to today. 47 00:02:13,470 --> 00:02:16,230 S2: Even when I get out on the road, still that 48 00:02:16,230 --> 00:02:20,070 S2: relationship that you have with an individual patient and you, 49 00:02:20,190 --> 00:02:22,790 S2: you get more out of it than you actually give. 50 00:02:23,110 --> 00:02:25,829 S2: And that is this unique thing about being an ambulance 51 00:02:25,830 --> 00:02:30,750 S2: paramedic is the proximity, the care, um, the regard that 52 00:02:30,750 --> 00:02:32,590 S2: the patient will have for what you're trying to do 53 00:02:32,590 --> 00:02:34,830 S2: for them. You can't beat that stuff. There's no, in 54 00:02:34,870 --> 00:02:36,590 S2: my view, there's no other job that gives you that 55 00:02:36,590 --> 00:02:38,630 S2: level of personal satisfaction. 56 00:02:38,630 --> 00:02:40,870 S1: How did it start? How did you where did you 57 00:02:40,910 --> 00:02:43,310 S1: grow up and at what point did you say to yourself, 58 00:02:43,310 --> 00:02:44,870 S1: I want to be an ambulance paramedic? 59 00:02:45,270 --> 00:02:49,550 S2: Yeah. So, um, I was 19 when I entered the job. Um, 60 00:02:49,790 --> 00:02:52,710 S2: but like many of my colleagues, there's always some sort 61 00:02:52,710 --> 00:02:57,030 S2: of origin story to being a paramedic. And very, very sadly, um, 62 00:02:57,030 --> 00:03:01,060 S2: at age 15, I was first on scene to a 63 00:03:01,060 --> 00:03:05,660 S2: motor vehicle accident where a young woman was terribly injured 64 00:03:05,940 --> 00:03:08,980 S2: in a car crash. And because I was first there 65 00:03:08,980 --> 00:03:13,060 S2: and saw the paramedics arrive and then saw the ambulance 66 00:03:13,060 --> 00:03:16,580 S2: rescue unit as it was, then arrive and start to, 67 00:03:16,900 --> 00:03:20,100 S2: you know, assist this young woman and then extricated from 68 00:03:20,100 --> 00:03:23,419 S2: the vehicle and transport her off. It just made me 69 00:03:23,419 --> 00:03:26,339 S2: think I have to be a part of this. And 70 00:03:26,500 --> 00:03:29,060 S2: that was pretty much everything after that was about how 71 00:03:29,060 --> 00:03:32,060 S2: do I work my way into becoming an ambulance paramedic? 72 00:03:32,060 --> 00:03:35,340 S2: And it has been because of that, a really guiding 73 00:03:35,340 --> 00:03:37,740 S2: light as to not just why I do it, but 74 00:03:37,740 --> 00:03:40,500 S2: why a lot of paramedics do it because some piece 75 00:03:40,500 --> 00:03:41,740 S2: of history in the past. 76 00:03:42,060 --> 00:03:45,060 S1: It's amazing. You talk about that because I often think 77 00:03:45,060 --> 00:03:47,580 S1: about and I've interviewed paramedics in this very studio when 78 00:03:47,580 --> 00:03:50,460 S1: they've retired. And, you know, the common question is, you know, 79 00:03:50,500 --> 00:03:52,020 S1: what are some of the jobs you've been to that 80 00:03:52,020 --> 00:03:55,860 S1: have stuck with you? It's, it's being able to, okay, 81 00:03:55,900 --> 00:03:57,850 S1: go to work, Do your job, but then switch off 82 00:03:57,850 --> 00:03:59,970 S1: at the end of the day. And I think that's 83 00:03:59,970 --> 00:04:03,090 S1: one thing I've learnt about the role of our emergency services. 84 00:04:03,090 --> 00:04:05,690 S1: You play such an important role in our community, but 85 00:04:05,690 --> 00:04:08,090 S1: there's got to be that on, on, off switch because 86 00:04:08,570 --> 00:04:10,930 S1: when you finish work, you finish work. But I suppose 87 00:04:10,930 --> 00:04:13,250 S1: there's always your mind that's ticking over. Thinking about what 88 00:04:13,250 --> 00:04:15,450 S1: you've done during the day is, is that is that 89 00:04:15,450 --> 00:04:17,250 S1: sort of your experience in the job? 90 00:04:17,770 --> 00:04:20,490 S2: Look, I think, um, most of my colleagues would agree 91 00:04:20,529 --> 00:04:24,490 S2: you find a way over time where, um, you know, 92 00:04:24,529 --> 00:04:27,930 S2: maybe a psychologist would say we're just telling ourselves stories, but, 93 00:04:27,970 --> 00:04:30,090 S2: you know, I've always taken the view and many of 94 00:04:30,089 --> 00:04:32,890 S2: my sort of senior mentors always said, you've just got 95 00:04:32,930 --> 00:04:36,130 S2: to tell yourself, no matter what the outcome for the person, 96 00:04:36,730 --> 00:04:39,570 S2: they had their best chance of survival because you went 97 00:04:39,570 --> 00:04:42,930 S2: to work that day. And as long as you keep 98 00:04:42,930 --> 00:04:45,729 S2: focusing on you did the best you could with the 99 00:04:45,770 --> 00:04:49,170 S2: hand you were dealt, then that is, you can put 100 00:04:49,170 --> 00:04:51,330 S2: it in the box and move on to the next one. 101 00:04:52,170 --> 00:04:54,170 S2: And so I think that over a long period of 102 00:04:54,170 --> 00:04:56,520 S2: time is how you deal with the sort of cumulative 103 00:04:56,520 --> 00:04:59,279 S2: side of, of, you know, the impacts of the nature 104 00:04:59,279 --> 00:05:00,279 S2: of the work that we do. 105 00:05:00,320 --> 00:05:02,440 S1: So you rise through the ranks to become the commissioner, 106 00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:04,920 S1: the chief executive of New South Wales Ambulance. So you 107 00:05:04,920 --> 00:05:08,839 S1: become that figurehead for all those other, you know, extraordinarily 108 00:05:08,839 --> 00:05:11,320 S1: brave and courageous young men and women who sign up 109 00:05:11,320 --> 00:05:15,159 S1: to become a paramedic. What gives you the greatest satisfaction 110 00:05:15,160 --> 00:05:18,360 S1: being the head of an organisation that is responsible for 111 00:05:18,360 --> 00:05:20,560 S1: helping people every minute of every day? 112 00:05:22,040 --> 00:05:25,400 S2: I'd like to think that it was. I haven't lost 113 00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:29,840 S2: that perspective about what it's like to be the person 114 00:05:29,839 --> 00:05:32,839 S2: that actually takes the emergency medical call when it comes 115 00:05:32,839 --> 00:05:37,159 S2: to 000, or the person that dispatches an ambulance or 116 00:05:37,160 --> 00:05:40,360 S2: the paramedic that attends the scene. You know, I still 117 00:05:40,360 --> 00:05:42,520 S2: try and get out on the road. And you can 118 00:05:42,520 --> 00:05:45,480 S2: imagine these days, probably not the world's most current clinician 119 00:05:45,480 --> 00:05:48,279 S2: to come and treat you. I do apologize, folks. Um, 120 00:05:48,279 --> 00:05:50,760 S2: but you know, it's really levelling to get out there. 121 00:05:50,760 --> 00:05:53,440 S2: And I think the, you know, the troops really love 122 00:05:53,440 --> 00:05:55,839 S2: it when they turn up in the emergency department. Here's 123 00:05:55,839 --> 00:05:58,239 S2: this other guy. You know, just in his paramedic epaulette, 124 00:05:58,279 --> 00:06:01,080 S2: sitting in there filling out a medical record just like them. 125 00:06:01,400 --> 00:06:03,760 S2: So what the hell is Dominic Morgan doing here? You know, 126 00:06:04,040 --> 00:06:05,920 S2: and and, you know, I get a lot out of that. 127 00:06:05,920 --> 00:06:08,480 S2: And almost invariably, after about ten minutes, people will come 128 00:06:08,520 --> 00:06:10,920 S2: up and say, hey, why are you here? Can I 129 00:06:10,920 --> 00:06:13,800 S2: just ask you about this? And, you know, so it's 130 00:06:13,800 --> 00:06:17,159 S2: really rewarding. And I think as, as I've always believed, 131 00:06:17,160 --> 00:06:19,200 S2: as long as I keep going back to what is 132 00:06:19,200 --> 00:06:22,200 S2: this going to mean on the road, then being the 133 00:06:22,200 --> 00:06:25,279 S2: commissioner means you'll probably make the best decisions if you 134 00:06:25,320 --> 00:06:27,680 S2: keep going back to the basics of what we do here. 135 00:06:27,720 --> 00:06:30,000 S1: The one thing that's really struck me about the ambulance 136 00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:33,680 S1: service police, the fire is you're a family. Um, whether 137 00:06:33,680 --> 00:06:36,040 S1: you're in a waiting room at a hospital, in emergency, 138 00:06:36,040 --> 00:06:38,640 S1: waiting to offload a patient, whether you're sitting in the, 139 00:06:38,680 --> 00:06:40,480 S1: you know, the van waiting to go to a job, 140 00:06:40,920 --> 00:06:43,080 S1: you're getting to know each other, you're spending more time 141 00:06:43,080 --> 00:06:45,000 S1: with one another than you do some of your members 142 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:47,880 S1: of your own family. Is, is that family a really 143 00:06:47,880 --> 00:06:49,040 S1: important part of the job? 144 00:06:49,480 --> 00:06:53,870 S2: Look, it I honestly believe the camaraderie that goes with it. 145 00:06:53,910 --> 00:06:58,350 S2: It's absolutely essential. Um, the reason is you're actually going 146 00:06:58,350 --> 00:07:03,390 S2: through experiences with another person, uh, that you couldn't possibly 147 00:07:03,390 --> 00:07:07,549 S2: explain to another human being that wasn't there. And that 148 00:07:07,990 --> 00:07:10,990 S2: comes a real responsibility to each other. And I often 149 00:07:10,990 --> 00:07:14,950 S2: talk to our new graduates about the responsibility we hold 150 00:07:14,950 --> 00:07:18,550 S2: towards each other. They'll know each other for the next ten, 20, 151 00:07:18,590 --> 00:07:21,150 S2: 30 years. And you can imagine for a 22 year old, 152 00:07:21,150 --> 00:07:24,990 S2: that's like numbers that are really scary. And I say 153 00:07:25,350 --> 00:07:28,510 S2: that responsibility means that you've always got to walk through 154 00:07:28,510 --> 00:07:32,830 S2: the door for a colleague. And that might just be, mm, 155 00:07:32,870 --> 00:07:36,510 S2: this person's just seeming a bit off today and asking 156 00:07:36,510 --> 00:07:39,030 S2: that question. Walking through the door, how are you travelling, mate? 157 00:07:39,070 --> 00:07:42,390 S2: You know, just that check in. Um, and that's why 158 00:07:42,550 --> 00:07:45,670 S2: I think we have such a camaraderie because people hope 159 00:07:45,710 --> 00:07:48,430 S2: and know that their colleagues will be there if they 160 00:07:48,430 --> 00:07:49,590 S2: ever get into trouble. 161 00:07:49,630 --> 00:07:53,660 S1: Speaking of family, your family, Dom, you've had to make sacrifices. 162 00:07:53,660 --> 00:07:55,180 S1: I'm sure your phone goes off in the middle of 163 00:07:55,180 --> 00:07:58,820 S1: the night. Early morning. You're late home. The family's been 164 00:07:58,820 --> 00:08:00,420 S1: there through thick and thin with you. 165 00:08:00,780 --> 00:08:03,820 S2: Oh, look, my. There is nothing I've ever done in 166 00:08:03,820 --> 00:08:07,900 S2: my professional life that hasn't been with the absolute support 167 00:08:08,580 --> 00:08:12,820 S2: of the family. They miss out on a lot. Yeah, um, 168 00:08:12,940 --> 00:08:17,220 S2: they really do. And, um, you know, they've never wanted 169 00:08:17,220 --> 00:08:20,340 S2: anything but the absolute best for me. There was a 170 00:08:20,340 --> 00:08:23,420 S2: time when, um, in 2009, I was appointed as the 171 00:08:23,860 --> 00:08:27,860 S2: chief executive of Ambulance Tasmania. And my wife, who's Sydney 172 00:08:27,860 --> 00:08:30,940 S2: born and bred, said, um, oh well, wouldn't want to 173 00:08:30,940 --> 00:08:33,140 S2: be lying on our deathbeds going wish we hadn't given 174 00:08:33,140 --> 00:08:35,740 S2: that Tassie thing a go. So literally we jumped on 175 00:08:35,740 --> 00:08:39,060 S2: the plane and moved to Tasmania. Um, you know, that 176 00:08:39,059 --> 00:08:43,100 S2: sort of stuff is in my view, um, that unconditional support, 177 00:08:43,140 --> 00:08:45,700 S2: it's so rare and I've been so fortunate for that. 178 00:08:45,740 --> 00:08:48,300 S1: What about some of the moments in the career where you've, 179 00:08:48,340 --> 00:08:51,890 S1: you reflect on how important your role was. Is there 180 00:08:51,890 --> 00:08:55,010 S1: one job that you went to? Is it standing alongside 181 00:08:55,010 --> 00:08:58,810 S1: a Premier to make a significant announcement in our state's history? 182 00:08:58,850 --> 00:09:01,410 S1: Are there some examples you can give us this morning on, 183 00:09:01,650 --> 00:09:03,689 S1: you know, jobs that you've been to or moments that 184 00:09:03,690 --> 00:09:05,250 S1: you reflect on from time to time? 185 00:09:06,290 --> 00:09:09,530 S2: Yeah, look, I think in terms of, um, of jobs, 186 00:09:09,530 --> 00:09:12,690 S2: probably the, the one that, you know, most people would, uh, 187 00:09:12,690 --> 00:09:16,410 S2: of the listeners would remember would be the Beaconsfield mine collapse. 188 00:09:17,170 --> 00:09:19,929 S2: So I was a, you know, mid career. I was 189 00:09:19,929 --> 00:09:23,210 S2: a member of the special casualty access team, um, intensive 190 00:09:23,210 --> 00:09:25,410 S2: care paramedics. So I was probably at the peak of 191 00:09:25,410 --> 00:09:28,929 S2: my clinical career. Um, and literally it was just a 192 00:09:28,929 --> 00:09:32,090 S2: case of one afternoon we'd heard about this mine collapse 193 00:09:32,090 --> 00:09:36,210 S2: in Tasmania and, um, just got the phone call and 194 00:09:36,210 --> 00:09:38,490 S2: within two hours we were on a chartered jet flying 195 00:09:38,530 --> 00:09:41,730 S2: into Tasmania to get two miners out of a, out 196 00:09:41,730 --> 00:09:46,170 S2: of a collapsed gold mine, um, and working more than 197 00:09:46,170 --> 00:09:51,210 S2: a kilometre down, um, in this gold mine. On and off, 198 00:09:51,210 --> 00:09:54,130 S2: over eight days to get these two guys out. And 199 00:09:54,130 --> 00:09:57,050 S2: the sorts of things that we needed to do to 200 00:09:57,090 --> 00:10:00,410 S2: talk to these guys, to manage their mental health, to actually. 201 00:10:00,450 --> 00:10:03,450 S2: And you know, as we know now, the history is 202 00:10:03,450 --> 00:10:08,810 S2: a fantastic outcome for for Todd and Brant. Um, I'm 203 00:10:08,809 --> 00:10:11,449 S2: going to go with it was it was memorable. Yeah. 204 00:10:11,929 --> 00:10:15,250 S1: There's, there's, there's really positive stories like that that have 205 00:10:15,250 --> 00:10:18,010 S1: a wonderful ending, but then there's the, the real tragic 206 00:10:18,330 --> 00:10:20,610 S1: stories and one I don't think this city will ever 207 00:10:20,770 --> 00:10:22,809 S1: get over. And that was was what happened at Bondi. 208 00:10:22,809 --> 00:10:25,689 S1: And I, I remember in the days after, uh, Dom 209 00:10:26,090 --> 00:10:28,890 S1: watching you and those paramedics down at the memorial at 210 00:10:28,890 --> 00:10:31,530 S1: Bondi Pavilion to lay flowers and just to pay your respects. 211 00:10:31,530 --> 00:10:34,690 S1: But it made me think about and I was very, um, 212 00:10:35,090 --> 00:10:37,610 S1: supportive of the Jewish community and the lead up to that. And, 213 00:10:37,730 --> 00:10:40,770 S1: you know, we warned government and we, we carried on, um, 214 00:10:40,809 --> 00:10:42,890 S1: and spoke to some of the Jewish leaders, but the 215 00:10:42,890 --> 00:10:46,050 S1: role that the paramedics and the first responders played on 216 00:10:46,090 --> 00:10:48,240 S1: that day is something they have to live with. width 217 00:10:48,640 --> 00:10:51,240 S1: the city needs to live with. But from the from 218 00:10:51,240 --> 00:10:54,400 S1: your perspective as the CEO and also the Commissioner of 219 00:10:54,400 --> 00:10:57,320 S1: New South Wales Ambulance, you must have been bursting with 220 00:10:57,320 --> 00:10:59,520 S1: pride knowing the role that they played on that ill 221 00:10:59,520 --> 00:11:00,240 S1: fated night. 222 00:11:00,480 --> 00:11:03,960 S2: That is exactly the word I would have chosen. Um, 223 00:11:04,920 --> 00:11:06,840 S2: you know, you can imagine the calls were coming in 224 00:11:06,840 --> 00:11:10,680 S2: from about 7:00 at night. The crews were rolling. Um, 225 00:11:11,160 --> 00:11:13,440 S2: I'm told part of the problem was so many crews 226 00:11:13,440 --> 00:11:15,680 S2: were offering to go that, you know, they were having 227 00:11:15,720 --> 00:11:20,200 S2: trouble allocating, you know, normal emergency work. Um, but to 228 00:11:20,240 --> 00:11:23,840 S2: see it all unfold and to talk to, you know, 229 00:11:23,880 --> 00:11:27,760 S2: largely the commanders and the paramedics who were there, um, 230 00:11:28,520 --> 00:11:33,040 S2: this state, uh, has second to none, second to none. 231 00:11:33,280 --> 00:11:38,120 S2: They were absolutely world class leading the way. There is 232 00:11:38,120 --> 00:11:40,600 S2: nothing that I'm aware of at the moment that would 233 00:11:40,600 --> 00:11:43,120 S2: make me think that, you know, if we could just 234 00:11:43,120 --> 00:11:47,280 S2: clone those people right across the country, everyone would do 235 00:11:47,350 --> 00:11:52,270 S2: so well. And they're such humble people, right? Every single 236 00:11:52,270 --> 00:11:55,990 S2: one of them talks about, well, I just, you know, 237 00:11:56,030 --> 00:11:57,550 S2: knew what was in front of me. I knew what 238 00:11:57,550 --> 00:12:00,190 S2: I had to do. Many of them were saying, oh, 239 00:12:00,230 --> 00:12:02,630 S2: we were so fortunate because we'd just done all of 240 00:12:02,630 --> 00:12:05,590 S2: these things that we'd learned how to Bondi Junction. Mhm. 241 00:12:05,710 --> 00:12:08,990 S2: I mean, when your mind's thinking about the positives like 242 00:12:08,990 --> 00:12:12,870 S2: that after the tragedy that they've just been through, you go, 243 00:12:13,190 --> 00:12:16,750 S2: you'll probably be okay. Yeah. Um, because that's going to 244 00:12:16,750 --> 00:12:19,870 S2: be life changing for, for so many people in our community. 245 00:12:19,910 --> 00:12:22,310 S1: Incredible. A couple of questions before you go. And I 246 00:12:22,309 --> 00:12:24,430 S1: know you've got a big day ahead of you. If 247 00:12:24,429 --> 00:12:27,429 S1: there's a young Dominic Morgan listening to this show right 248 00:12:27,429 --> 00:12:31,469 S1: now or a young aspiring paramedic, what's your advice? Because 249 00:12:31,990 --> 00:12:34,590 S1: I'm sure there's a lot of people that may want 250 00:12:34,590 --> 00:12:36,070 S1: to be a doctor one day, or may want to 251 00:12:36,070 --> 00:12:38,589 S1: be a nurse. They may just want to be a paramedic. 252 00:12:38,910 --> 00:12:41,710 S1: What's your advice to to to sign up and give 253 00:12:41,710 --> 00:12:42,230 S1: it a go? 254 00:12:42,790 --> 00:12:46,150 S2: Oh look, the profession has changed so much. You know, 255 00:12:46,220 --> 00:12:48,620 S2: I came in back in the days where, you know, 256 00:12:48,660 --> 00:12:51,420 S2: we were largely vocational workers. I got a five week 257 00:12:51,420 --> 00:12:55,620 S2: training program and got put out with a qualified ambulance officer. Um, 258 00:12:55,660 --> 00:12:59,260 S2: now they're tertiary programs. They do three years at university. 259 00:12:59,260 --> 00:13:04,939 S2: They're registered healthcare professionals. It is just the most fulfilling 260 00:13:05,020 --> 00:13:08,900 S2: role because of the autonomy you have. But can I 261 00:13:08,900 --> 00:13:11,620 S2: say it is such a privilege to be invited into 262 00:13:11,620 --> 00:13:15,860 S2: people's homes, into their most vulnerable parts of their life 263 00:13:15,980 --> 00:13:18,860 S2: and be able to provide that care to them? There's 264 00:13:18,860 --> 00:13:21,860 S2: no profession that does that. It is, it is, it's 265 00:13:21,900 --> 00:13:24,020 S2: a privilege is the only word I can use. 266 00:13:24,540 --> 00:13:26,420 S1: What's next for Dominic Morgan? How are you going to 267 00:13:26,420 --> 00:13:27,700 S1: spend your retirement, mate? 268 00:13:28,179 --> 00:13:30,420 S2: Well, look, I have said to people I've probably said 269 00:13:30,420 --> 00:13:32,500 S2: the wrong thing because I said I was. I'll retire 270 00:13:32,500 --> 00:13:35,540 S2: from the role. And all anyone's ever heard was he's retiring. 271 00:13:35,580 --> 00:13:35,860 S1: Right. 272 00:13:35,860 --> 00:13:38,179 S2: Okay, so I don't know, but I know there's a 273 00:13:38,179 --> 00:13:41,660 S2: very big holiday in store. I've got a big bike 274 00:13:41,700 --> 00:13:45,179 S2: trip coming up with the boys in September in in Laos. 275 00:13:45,260 --> 00:13:46,900 S2: So I've got an awful lot of training I need 276 00:13:46,900 --> 00:13:49,100 S2: to do between now and then. And then I've said 277 00:13:49,100 --> 00:13:51,220 S2: to everybody, I'll by the time I get to September, 278 00:13:51,220 --> 00:13:52,700 S2: I'll work out what I'm doing after that. 279 00:13:52,700 --> 00:13:54,540 S1: Fantastic. Well, mate, I know you're a humble bloke, I 280 00:13:54,540 --> 00:13:56,819 S1: know you. You don't like making things about yourself, but 281 00:13:56,820 --> 00:14:00,020 S1: I think, um, the state owes you a great debt 282 00:14:00,020 --> 00:14:03,260 S1: because what you've provided for people in New South Wales 283 00:14:03,260 --> 00:14:05,820 S1: over 40 years is you talk about second to none. 284 00:14:05,820 --> 00:14:08,060 S1: It is second to none. Thank you for your leadership. 285 00:14:08,059 --> 00:14:10,380 S1: Thank you for your service. And I hope today's a 286 00:14:10,380 --> 00:14:13,620 S1: special one for you, your family and for the wider 287 00:14:13,620 --> 00:14:16,380 S1: New South Wales Ambulance Service. As we um, we say 288 00:14:16,380 --> 00:14:20,220 S1: thank you and farewell our commissioner, our CEO. So congratulations Dom, 289 00:14:20,220 --> 00:14:21,660 S1: and thanks for coming into the studio. 290 00:14:21,660 --> 00:14:22,740 S2: Thanks so much, Mark. 291 00:14:22,860 --> 00:14:25,660 S1: There he is, the outgoing commissioner and chief executive doctor 292 00:14:25,660 --> 00:14:28,300 S1: Dominic Morgan. What a man. What a career. 40 years 293 00:14:28,300 --> 00:14:31,620 S1: in the service, ten years as the commissioner and chief executive. 294 00:14:31,620 --> 00:14:34,380 S1: And today it is all about him. So if you 295 00:14:34,380 --> 00:14:37,500 S1: see a paramedic, just say, geez, what about Doctor Dominic Morgan? 296 00:14:37,500 --> 00:14:39,740 S1: What a career he's led. And just remember, they play 297 00:14:39,740 --> 00:14:43,100 S1: a very, very important part in our everyday lives because 298 00:14:43,100 --> 00:14:45,020 S1: when we need them, they're there to help.