Vice Chancellor opens Inaugural Whitlam Institute Forum on Health

Launch of the Whitlam Institute Health Forum series, Welcoming comments

University Of Western Sydney, Parramatta Campus Sydney, 15 July 2003

Ladies and Gentlemen,

For those who don't know me, I am Janice Reid and I am the Vice Chancellor of the University of Western Sydney. I am joined today by some other members of the Whitlam Institute Board - in particular our Chairman, Mr Geoffrey Roberson, who is sitting over here with Director Chris Ronalds and two of our distinguished friends, Freda Whitlam and Jim David. We are particularly honoured to have the Hon Gough Whitlam and Margaret Whitlam with us today.

It has been fantastic for the University to have been able to launch the Whitlam Institute. It is a flagship for the University, and we also hope it will be a rallying point for a whole range of contemporary social issues for the people of greater western Sydney, many of whom are represented here today.

In the years to come the Whitlam Institute will become an authoritative commentator and public educator on issues which we all agree are critical to the future of the Greater West in terms of health, education, social welfare and public policy. Those are among the issues that Gough championed during his time in Government, and on which he has been an eminent spokesman and leader of the community.

It is wonderful to see so many people here on a weekday. I know everyone here has other responsibilities and duties and it says something for the importance of this occasion that we see so many of our distinguished community members here with us.

It also says a lot about the excitement with which this seminar was greeted - particularly having with us Prof John Deeble, Prof Jeff Richardson and Ms Mary Foley as our speakers.

It was of course the Whitlam Government that enacted Australia's first universal health system at the only joint sitting of both houses of Parliament.

Those of us who are old enough remember those days as days of social policy reform and renewal. As we look around there would be virtually no other group of speakers who could so well reflect on the days and trajectory of Medibank and Medicare.

I would like to invite John Deeble to the podium to begin our proceedings today.