McCaughey Centre opens at the University of Melbourne
Media Release, Monday 16 July 2007
A new multi-million dollar research centre to promote the mental health and wellbeing of all Australians has been set up at the University of Melbourne.
The McCaughey Centre: VicHealth Centre for the Promotion of Mental Health and Community Wellbeing, a world leading and Australian first research centre supported by the University of Melbourne was launched today (16 July).
The launch coincided with new and compelling data which will help communities and all levels of government plan effectively for the future.
For the first time in Australia, research carried out by the McCaughey Centre has identified the extent to which both economic and non economic factors contribute to individual mental health and our community’s wellbeing.
McCaughey Centre Director Professor John Wiseman says mental health issues are one of Australia’s biggest health costs and it is urgent that this growing problem be adequately researched.
Depression alone will be one of Australia’s biggest health issues by 2020, according to the World Health Organisation.
The McCaughey Centre’s flagship project, Community Indicators Victoria (CIV) provides an exclusive snapshot of how a range of factors currently impact on how we live our lives and, in turn, on community wellbeing.
Professor John Wiseman says the Centre’s work aims to raise the level of community debate on mental health and community wellbeing and help all levels of government to make better decisions for the community.
“The economy is reported with a huge profile, so it’s easy to assume that interest rates and economic growth are the only significant influences on our mental health and community wellbeing,” Professor Wiseman says.
“The McCaughey Centre can show that economic factors are only one factor of our wellbeing. Social, environmental, cultural and political factors are all vital influencers in how our communities are progressing.
“For example, we have identified that, despite low unemployment, low inflation and high consumer confidence, over the past twelve months 6.1% of Victorians (or over 225,000 people) have run out of food and couldn’t afford to buy more.
“We also know that day to day travel is limited for over 20% of Victorians because of lack of access to public transport. In some parts of Melbourne, 40% of people feel unsafe walking alone at night. In some parts of Melbourne, less than half the population report regular involvement in community activities.
“These and many other factors such as discrimination and violence against women are increasingly important contributors to mental health and community wellbeing outcomes,” Professor Wiseman says.
VicHealth CEO, Todd Harper, says the Centre and the new Community Indicators are going to provide Victoria and indeed Australia with a solid research base to increase the mental health and wellbeing of all Australians.
“The launch of the McCaughey Centre is the realisation of a long-held VicHealth vision. Since 1999 VicHealth has been building evidence and best practice from around the world to promote good mental health and wellbeing in the community. VicHealth’s commitment to the centre will provide secure funding to ensure Victoria has the knowledge base to reverse the trends that are negatively impacting our health,” Mr Harper says.
“Increasingly strong evidence about what really makes a difference to how people feel about the quality of their life is now available through the Centre’s work. And the McCaughey Centre is working in partnership with state and local governments to help ensure the best possible policy decisions are made so all communities can overcome their challenges and take advantage of their opportunities.
“We have already provided this benchmark data to state and local governments and the findings will be available on a local, region and state basis through our website,” Professor Wiseman said.
Community Indicators Victoria is hosted by the McCaughey Centre, funded by VicHealth and run in partnership with the University of Melbourne, the Australian Bureau of Statistics, a number of State Government Departments, the Municipal Association of Victoria, the Victorian Local Governance Association Swinburne University and RMIT.
Located in the School of Population Health at the University of Melbourne, the McCaughey Centre is named in honour of two outstanding Victorians, Davis and Jean McCaughey.
University of Melbourne Vice-Chancellor Professor Glyn Davis says the Centre is honoured to have Jean McCaughey as its patron, and privileged to serve the living memory of Davis.
“Two of his ideals - freedom for academic research and the value of the University as an engaging community - are very much what the University hopes to achieve through the McCaughey Centre.
“What is being done here is what Davis demonstrated in his public life. It is an on-par engagement between the institution and members of the community, involving various stakeholders at different levels of our society.”
Media contact:
Scott Parker 0432 828 003
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