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Mr JOHN MILLS (Wallsend) [6.02 p.m.]: Last Monday I had the honour to attend the launch of the Port Waratah Coal Services [PWCS] Hunter Medical Research Institute [HMRI] Schizophrenia Research Fellowship. The new chairman of the HMRI foundation, Bob Kennedy, introduced the launch and my colleague the honourable member for Newcastle was also in attendance. Port Waratah Coal Services has committed $300,000 to the Hunter Medical Research Institute for a three-year study to investigate factors that lead to the onset of schizophrenia. The PWCS research fellow is Dr Linda Campbell from the University of Newcastle Centre for Brain and Mental Health Research, which is also a member of HMRI's brain and mental health program.
Dr Campbell will study 40 people aged between 12 and 20 years, and 20 of their siblings, who have a common genetic disorder, velo-cardio-facial syndrome [VCFS]. Dr Campbell told the gathering that people with VCFS have an increased risk of developing schizophrenia. The syndrome affects one in 5,000 children and is one of the most common genetic disorders. The study will aim to identify predictors of who amongst that group is likely to develop schizophrenia in adolescence. By investigating how schizophrenia develops in people with that syndrome, it will also inform the community about schizophrenia in the general population.
Both the HMRI researchers and Port Waratah Coal Services hope that the study will improve the quality of life of people with schizophrenia by assisting in early diagnosis. Schizophrenia affects one in 100 Australians and is the biggest cause of permanent disability for young people. The earlier the problems are identified, the better, because people can be referred to treatment that improves their quality of life and reduces their level of disability. The General Manager of Port Waratah Coal Services, Graham Davidson, was also present at the launch. He said that the company was proud to support world-class local research happening in the region. It is the second research fellowship funded by Port Waratah Coal Services. The first research fellowship was in respiratory medicine.
Christine, the parent of a child with VCFS, told the gathering about the hopes and fears of her family arising from their participation in the research. Terry Lewin, the research management officer of James Fletcher Hospital, gave the gathering an overview of facilities at the James Fletcher Hospital site, where the research is being carried out. The launch was held at Monet's Café, James Fletcher Hospital, which is an excellent example of mental health rehabilitation in the public sector because it provides hospitality work experience to people with mental health living in the community.
I congratulate Port Waratah Coal Services, a leading private company, on its generous support for medical research at HMRI, particularly for identifying this project for support because of its importance for young people in this State. This support by a leading private company is an example of the partnership that makes up HMRI. Led by an independent board of governance, the partnership comprises business and commerce in the Hunter, the community, units of Hunter Area Health Service, the University of Newcastle and clinicians. In 2005 HMRI attracted about $700,000 in research donations and sponsorship from Hunter businesses. The aim is to increase that sum significantly in the next few years. In addition to funds raised for research from private sources locally, HMRI researchers also attract many peer-reviewed resource grants from the National Health and Medical Research Council and the like, in competition with researchers from institutes and medical schools all over the country. It is a tribute to the quality and renown of HMRI's researchers that it is in the top three among New South Wales' medical research institutes for winning peer-reviewed grants.
Another source of funding for medical research institutes in this State is the former State Government's health research infrastructure grants, which the Government now calls the Medical Research Support Program. The Minister for Science and Medical Research has improved the scheme, has allocated more money and changed the criteria. It is now only required that there be an independent board and that the threshold in peer review grants is passed. In July the Hunter Medical Research Institute announced $6.6 million of support funding, a 70 per cent increase on the previous triennium. The program is vital to research institutes that can spend peer review grants only on a specific project directly. The State Government money helps pay the cleaning bill, buys the test tubes and builds whatever volunteer bases are needed for trials. I thank the Minister for Science and Medical research for developing, as promised three years ago, a fairer scheme.