I am grateful to all staff for their co-operation and support during this period. A particularly happy event that occurred during this period was the 50th year of Professor Frank Fenner 's association with the School. In recognition of his achievements, and his long association with the School, Mathew Lynn was commissioned to paint his portrait. The portrait was unveiled by the Minister for Health and Aged Care, the Hon Michael Wooldridge, in the presence of the Fenner family and the artist. A few sports stars aside, not many people are lucky enough to be paid to do something they love.
Researchers are among the lucky few.
Changing paradigms and dogma and overturning old ideas is integral to research, and it is also integral to research management. Changes to the School are inevitable. The Cabinet decision to give the IAS access to the National Competitive Grants Scheme is a wonderful opportunity for us, but we will have to learn new rules. The University has generously responded to our request for assistance in refurbishment of our building, which has a magnificent history but little else in the way of amenities, and this progressive refit will occupy us over the next few years. We are undertaking reviews of our administrative and scientific functions to best position ourselves to maintain international scientific competitiveness over the next decade.