Deep prayers reverberated within the walls of Simtokha dzong, an ancient fortress in the south of Thimphu. And in every word, every thought and in the ambience of spirituality, lingered Australia, her people and its wildlife.

The small country in the Himalayas came together to join the rest of the world in praying for the continent that is battling with one of the worst tragedies from the bushfire.

Around this time last year, I remember the government was in the process of poring over the 12th Plan. Just over a month in office, we were sieving our priorities and getting down to work.

Into the months, I started early and resigned to bed late, read thousands of pages and met people from all over, maneuvered daily calendar while setting in motion numerous initiatives and reforms. My government and I promised change and we all worked towards that.