News

The Emergency Medical Team Secretariat would like to welcome the Chair of the EMT Strategic Advisory Group (SAG), Professor Leonard Notaras. Professor Notaras is the Executive Director of the National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre and has been a staunch supporter of the Initiative and its network since its inception. He will be chairing the SAG for the next 2 years as it advises on the strategic direction of the Initiative, drawing from his experience and that of his predecessor Ambassador Toni Frisch who chaired the group for the last five years. We would also like to extend our appreciation and gratitude to Ambassador Frisch for his leadership till the last day of his mandate.

The appointment of Professor Notaras was endorsed by the Strategic Advisory Group and the World Health Organization senior management in the last quarter of 2021. This chairmanship is a recognition of the commitment and work of Professor Notaras in the Initiative and also a fortification of the continued support from the Government of Australia as a whole. We warmly welcome Professor Notaras and wish him every success in this important role.

About Professor Notaras

Professor Len Notaras is the Executive Director of the National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre. He was a strategic founder of the NCCTRC and was appointed to the position in 2009. Professor Notaras was previously Chief Executive of the NT Department of Health, the largest single employer in the Northern Territory from 2014 to 2016. Prior to this, Professor Notaras spent 15 years at Royal Darwin Hospital, first as Medical Superintendent (1994-2001) and then as General Manager (2001-2009). During this time, RDH dealt with a number of crises, including the evacuation of East Timor in 1999, the Bali bombings in 2002 and 2005, the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, the Ashmore Reef incident in 2009 and the retrieval and treatment of then President of Timor-Leste Dr Jose Ramos-Horta following the assassination attempt on his life in 2008. In 2002, RDH received nearly 100 victims of the Bali bombings, 70 of whom were critically injured. For his service in jointly coordinating the medical assistance provided by the RDH to the victims of the bombings, Professor Notaras was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 2003.