Neroli McDonald

Director General for Pacific and Timor-Leste (former Defence Attaché to Vietnam and Laos, 2017 – 2020)

“Deepening the peacekeeping relationship so that Vietnam as a nation could contribute in a way that it hadn’t done before to global security and global development – I think it was just an incredible achievement.”

Neroli McDonald’s connection with Vietnam started in 1999, when she was sent to learn the language as part of her training with the Australian Army. She didn’t know anything about Vietnam at the time but enjoyed her year at language school and some years later saw the opportunity to use the language for a posting at Vietnam.

“In 2012, I took the opportunity to do advanced language training in Vietnam at the National Science Academy. Learning a language is challenging and Vietnamese is so difficult, but I have a can-do attitude and am good at chatting, and fortunately everyone in Vietnam wanted to help me learn. It’s such a joy to learn a different language and whilst I’ll never say my language is outstanding, it was at a level that I could interact and talk to people and I think that just brings a whole new dynamic to the job and daily life in Vietnam.”

Another few years later and “the stars aligned” and she was selected to be the Defence Attaché for Vietnam and Laos from 2017. She says “Learning Vietnamese took me on a pathway that I could never have imagined before. Being Defence Attaché was a wonderful wonderful experience.”

Neroli is quick to credit her predecessors in the role with having set strong foundations for the defence relationship, as well as the contributions made by her team in Hanoi and those working on the relationship in Australia. Talking about achievements during her posting, she immediately references the peacekeeping efforts: “After years of English language training and development through the Australian defence cooperation in Vietnam, watching the Australian aircraft land in Vietnam and take the first contingent of trained peacekeepers to the level two field hospital in South Sudan was a singular achievement.” she says. “Deepening the peacekeeping relationship so that Vietnam as a nation could contribute in a way that it hadn’t done before to global security and global development – I think it was just an incredible achievement.”

Taking of the future, Neroli explains that “The defence relationship between Australia and Vietnam is a priority for both countries and building a safe and secure region is really important to both nations. I think the relationship just continued to strengthen year on year and is symbolic of the deepening of our relationship between Vietnam and Australia in general.” Australia will continue to work across areas of interest to Vietnam, including English language training, peacekeeping, maritime security and aviation safety. Having a close defence network, with strong communication and understanding, is essential to those efforts and the team at the Embassy has continued to grow in line with the deepening of the relationship.

A posting in Hawaii followed her time in Vietnam and Neroli is now working as Director General for the Pacific and Timor-Leste Division, based in Canberra, Australia. But she will always have a connection with Vietnam, not only through her work and language but also through her daughter, who she adopted while on her posting. “Being a mother is the most amazing experience that I would not have been able to have had it not been for Vietnam and Vietnam trusting me. I’ll be forever thankful to Vietnam for that opportunity.”