Professor Leanne Redman, Academic Director, Charles Perkins Centre at the University of Sydney, delivered an address to Science Meets Parliament where our politicians, policy-makers, government and national institutions meet annually to investigate the wicked problems faced by Australian society.

The address was followed by a panel with Professor Redman How do Australia’s Parliamentarians and political parties see the role of science, expertise and evidence? investigating collaborative solutions. In a wide-ranging discussion, Professor Renae Ryan AM FRSN (Chair), Zaneta Mascarenhas MP, Senator David Pocock, Dr Anne Webster MP, Senator Mehreen Faruqi, Senator Maria Kovacic, investigated what science means to them and their party, why Australia needs science, their policy offerings to strengthen science and the science workforce, and advice for scientists on engaging with politicians and the Parliament to inform policy and legislation.

We meet at a moment when Australia faces some of the most complex health challenges in our history. Chronic disease, an ageing population, mental health pressures, workforce shortages and the rapid transformation of technology.

These are not isolated issues, they are all interconnected, systemic and deeply consequential for the prosperity and wellbeing of every Australian.

Yet, across our universities – and across institutes like the Charles Perkins Centre – I see extraordinary opportunity. I see capability, creativity and ambition that can be directed toward the Nation’s most pressing priorities. I see researchers, clinicians, students and community partners who want nothing more than to contribute to a healthier, stronger Australia.

That is why today’s conversation matters so much. When Parliament sets national science and health research strategies, our universities are uniquely positioned to bring those strategies to life.

Universities are more than research institutions, we are nation‑building institutions.

We transform government priorities into knowledge creation, evidence for policy, talent development, clinical innovation, community collaboration and real improvements in health and wellbeing.

We train the next generation of scientists, health professionals, engineers, public health experts, data specialists and innovators. We also upskill the clinicians and allied health professionals who are already carrying the weight of our healthcare system.

Universities give them the latest science, the emerging technologies, the evidence‑based models of care, and the ability to work across disciplines, because that is how modern health problems must be solved.

At the University of Sydney, the Charles Perkins Centre is one example of how universities can respond boldly to the Nation’s needs. We were created to rethink the systems that drive chronic disease – not by focusing on biology alone, but by uniting clinicians, basic scientists, engineers, behavioural researchers, writers and community partners to tackle health holistically.

Our teams work across foundational science, population health, digital innovation, clinical practice, and policy translation. And because we are embedded within the Sydney Local Health District – a precinct of healthcare professionals encompassing 15 local health districts covering the Sydney metropolitan region and rural and regional NSW – we see discoveries moving rapidly into real‑world care, real‑world policy and real‑world outcomes.

But what I most want to emphasise is this: the Charles Perkins Centre is not powerful because it stands apart, it is powerful because it stands as part of a thriving Australian university sector that is ready to partner with government to deliver national impact.

Science does not replace political judgment, it strengthens it. It sharpens decisions. It reduces uncertainty. And it provides options that are clear, evidence‑based and grounded in reality.

Universities stand ready to help build:

• a future‑proof health workforce
• stronger STEM capability
• more effective prevention strategies
• innovative models of care
• better health outcomes in rural and remote communities
• an Australia where chronic disease is no longer a generational inevitability.

This is not a vision owned by universities alone. It is a shared, national mission, a mission that requires deep partnership between researchers, clinicians, communities and the leaders in this room.

Today, I extend to you A call to build a healthier Australia, together.

I truly believe that when we bring together the vision of Parliament, the capability of universities and the passion of researchers and clinicians, Australia can lead the world in science‑driven health reform.

We can lower disease burden. We can transform care. We can prepare the next generation of thinkers and practitioners. And we can deliver a future where every Australian – no matter where they live, no matter their background – has the opportunity to live a healthier, longer, more vibrant life.

That is the future we are committed to. That is the future we invite you to shape with us. 

Professor Redman addressed Science Meets Parliament in Canberra, Australia, Thursday 26 March 2026.