Leafing through the archives, it is hard not to notice the familiar faces. Over 25 years, politicians of every stripe have made their way through UCRH.
There is Tony Abbott opening student accommodation and later University House. Nicola Roxon unveiling refurbished housing for students. Kevin Rudd dropping in to open accommodation and reportedly making tea for students. There is even the 2009 Pollie Pedal visit, when a collection of politicians arrived on bicycles rather than in suits. Through it all, local members, ministers, shadow ministers and government representatives kept finding reasons to visit UCRH.
Yet the real story is not about the politicians or their denomination.
It is about what kept bringing them here.
Again and again, governments of different stripes invested in student accommodation, teaching spaces, research programs and workforce initiatives because they could see what UCRH was achieving for rural communities. Over time those visits became markers of growth. A new building. More student places. A major research project. Another step forward.
State Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin has watched much of that story unfold firsthand. She recalls being introduced to UCRH by then Director Professor Lesley Barclay soon after entering federal parliament in 2008 and later helping secure support for student accommodation and research projects.
“The UCRH mental health survey conducted in the wake of the 2017 Lismore floods has proved invaluable in helping us understand the ongoing impact of the catastrophic floods of 2022,” she said.
“The flood survey demonstrates the value of doing research in rural communities for rural communities.”
Federal Member for Page Kevin Hogan believes that same commitment is what has made the Centre so important to the region.
“What has always impressed me is that the UCRH isn’t just training our future health professionals, it’s about making healthcare better for regional communities like ours,” he said.
“One of the biggest challenges for regional Australia is attracting and keeping doctors, nurses and allied health professionals. UCRH gives our region a vital push.”
The photographs capture the handshakes, speeches and ribbon cuttings. What they cannot capture is something quieter: 25 years of support from people who recognised the value of building rural health from the ground up.
Governments changed. Ministers came and went. Some arrived in suits, others in cycling lycra. Yet the reason they kept turning up was remarkably consistent. UCRH was creating opportunities for students, backing local research and helping strengthen healthcare in rural communities. For a quarter of a century, that has been a story worth showing up for.
Read more from Janelle:
I want to commend the University Centre for Rural Health on the important role it has played in health education and research in our region for 25 years.
In 2008 when I was the newly elected Federal Member for Page, the then Director of UCRH, Lesley Barclay made sure I was well acquainted with the work of UCRH. I lobbied successfully for funding for UCRH student accommodation and remember well the media attention when I brought Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to the see the student accommodation and meet the medical students.
I advocated for a significant grant for Dr Megan Passey’s project to address smoking rates in pregnant Aboriginal women, and was at UCRH for the launch. I also lobbied for a major grant for Professor James Bennett-Levy and his team developing digital mental health tools for indigenous communities.
In 2017 UCRH conducted a survey to measure the mental health impact of the flood, with significant findings about the risk of PTSD and depression. The UCRH mental health survey conducted in the wake of the 2017 Lismore Floods has proved invaluable in helping us understand the ongoing impact of the catastrophic floods of 2022. The flood survey demonstrates the value of doing research IN rural communities for rural health for rural communities. Congratulations on 25 years of making a difference for rural health.
Read more from Kevin:
It is wonderful to celebrate and acknowledge the 25th year anniversary of the University Centre of Rural Health. The UCRH is such an important part of our region.
What has always impressed me is that the UCRH isn’t just training our future health professionals, it’s about making healthcare better for regional communities like ours. It brings students, researchers and clinicians together to tackle the challenges we face here in the Northern Rivers.
One of the biggest challenges for regional Australia is attracting and keeping doctors, nurses and allied health professionals. UCRH gives our region a vital push, enabling students to learn and train in our region, leading them to stay and build their careers here.
I have been pleased to support UCRH over the years with grants to expand facilities, supporting research or creating more opportunities for students.
One project I particularly have regard for was opening the student accommodation in Maclean in 2019. The former Coalition Government funded more than 1,000 medical and allied health students to complete placements across our region each year. The new six-bedroom facility gives students a place to stay while they were training here.
25 years is a significant milestone. It is a credit to everyone who has contributed to UCRH as it is today. Congratulations to Director, Professor Vicki Flood, staff, students, researchers and community partners who have been part of that journey. I wish UCRH every success for
