SIR GUSTAV NOSSAL

AC, CBE, FAA, FRS

GUSTAV NOSSAL was born in Bad Ischl, Austria, in 1931, and came to Australia with his family in 1939. He studied Medicine at The University of Sydney and, after residency at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, took his PhD at The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research in Melbourne. Apart from two years as Assistant Professor of Genetics at Stanford University, one year at the Pasteur Institute in Paris, and one year as a Special Consultant to the World Health Organization, all Nossal's research career has been at the Hall Institute, of which he served as Director (1965-1996). Nossal was also Professor of Medical Biology at The University of Melbourne.

Nossal's research is in fundamental immunology, and he has written five books and 510 scientific articles in this and related fields. Nossal has been President (1986-1989) of the 25,000-member world body of immunology, the International Union of Immunological Societies; President of the Australian Academy of Science (1994-1998); a member of the Prime Minister's Science, Engineering and Innovation Council (1989 to 1998); and Chairman of the Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (1987-1996). He currently chairs the committee overseeing WHO's Global Programme for Vaccines and Immunization (1993-).

Nossal was knighted in 1977, made a Companion of the Order of Australia in 1989 and was appointed Australian of the Year 2000. He has received numerous other honours from 11 countries. Amongst the most significant are Fellow of The Royal Society of London, Foreign Associate of the US National Academy of Sciences, Member of the Academie des Sciences, France, the Robert Koch Gold Medal, the Albert Einstein World Award of Science, the Emil von Behring Prize, the Rabbi Shai Shacknai Prize, and over 100 named lectureships in ten countries.

Nossal is also involved in charitable work as Chairman of The Felton Bequests' Committee; in the business community as a Principal of Foursight Associates Pty Ltd; in aboriginal affairs as Deputy Chairman of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation; and in international advancement of Australia as Deputy Chairman of The Global Foundation.

(Biography and photo courtesy of Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, WEHI)

Interview with Sir Gustav Nossal

Do you see yourself as a leader? What vision are you trying to achieve?

Yes.

I am trying to achieve a vision of Australia as a knowledge nation heading into the 21st century, and of a higher profile for Aboriginal reconciliation and third world health.

As a youth, what motivated you to excel and work hard?

The migrant experience, the need to establish myself in a new country, and to live up to my parents' great expectations.

What has shaped your desire to empower others and create change for the betterment of nations and individuals?

A realisation that Australia can contribute on a global scale, and the progressive realisation that leadership imposes challenges for loyalty and compassion for others.

Which personal qualities have enabled you to be successful as a Scientist and a humanitarian?

A capacity to analyse problems quickly and accurately; and a secure personal life which makes it seem natural to help others.

How do you view the education system for Australian youth in terms of its ability to challenge and inspire individuals to attain excellence and believe in themselves? What issues would you like to see the education system address in the new millennium?

The educational system is under strain at all levels, but particularly in the case of higher education. The percentage of GDP for education at all levels has fallen from 5.1% to 4.3% over the last decade. The funding for universities has fallen by 20% per full-time student over the last 4 years. The issues that need to be addressed are quality of education and morale of teachers and academics.

To what do you attribute the poor level of funding in Australia for scientific research and development? How critical is this situation and what steps do you recommend that the Australian government and the private sector should take to address this problem?

The situation for medical research has improved greatly, but that for research in many other scientific areas has not kept pace. The situation is critical, and the Australian Government plus the private sector must enhance the situation by joint cooperative programs, further tax concessions, encouragement of overseas venture capital, greater support for universities, and a fundamental attitudinal change from looking at R & D as a cost to looking to R & D as an investment.

What do you perceive as being the significant issues in relation to global health? What message are you trying to spread to evoke change and hope in the situation?

In the area of infectious diseases, any country's problem is every country's problem. The HIV/AIDS pandemic shows this very clearly. The significant issues is the maldistribution of resources globally, comparatively small investments in international health could reap big dividends. This will require partnership between all sectors, particularly industry itself, the United Nations agencies, the philanthropic and foundation sectors and the various overseas development aid agencies.

What would you say is at the heart of the issue of reconciliation in Australia? Why has the progress of reconciliation become contingent to the deliverance of a formal apology by the government when Australians can choose to empower themselves to reconcile without this form of support?

The issues of reconciliation are both practical and symbolic, each as important as the other. Practical reconciliation is moving reasonably well, with a good deal of goodwill from the general public. Symbolic reconciliation is moving more slowly, particularly in the case of the apology which a majority of Australians still oppose. The apology has come to have a certain iconic significance for the Aboriginal leadership though it is less important to people on the ground. It is imperative that this roadblock not be allowed to deroll the whole process, as indeed your question suggests. Australians can act individually and in groups, the most important tool being communication and education. This whole issue is more about the hearts and minds of people than it is about politics. Significant elements of racism persist, these must by combated on the ground by people of goodwill. A bit like a drip wearing way a stone!

You have spoken of your abhorrence at the finding that it is six times more likely that an Aboriginal man will die in the prime of life between thirty-six and fifty, than a white person. Why do you believe there is such disparity between the health of Aboriginals and white Australians?

Poor Aboriginal health is part and parcel of Aboriginal disadvantage generally. We must consider first dispossession, alienation, loss of self-respect and even despair. Then comes poor living conditions, poor sanitation, poor nutrition and high incidence of substance abuse, including particularly alcohol and smoking. Then access to health facilities is frequently poor. All of these issues can be and are being addressed and hopefully these efforts will soon reflect in the macrostatistics.

As the Aboriginal Reconciliation Council’s term draws to a close at the end of 2000, are you personally satisfied with what the Council has accomplished? Are there any areas which you would have liked the Council to have made further progress in?

The Council has made significant progress and the climate is very different from what it was 10 years ago or even 3 years ago. For example, it is unimaginable that the Olympics would have unfolded in the way that they did had they been held in 1990. It would, of course, have been satisfying if the Council had been able to deliver a compact, agreement or treaty that would have declared the nation to be reconciled once and for all, but this proved impossible. It is not only that the Government was not prepared to accept the Council's terms, it is also that the parlous state of practical matters such as health, housing and employment makes many indigenous people so angry that they, for their part, are not yet ready to fully reconcile. I would have liked to have seen the Council make more progress in encouraging a common definition of terms like "self-determination" and "recognition of customary laws". This is work that we are progressing right now, but further action will have to be left to the Foundation we are establishing to carry on the work.

How can Australians practice leadership with respect to reconciliation?

There is no doubt that leadership from governments, and particularly the Commonwealth Government, is important. I think also that leadership form the Aboriginal side could be improved - ATSIC could do better and the system as a whole should take more note of heterogeneity in Aboriginal communities and the importance of understanding local differences. In an ideal situation, the ATSIC Regional Councils could do a lot in this regard.

What are some of the national and international areas you will be devoting your time to in the next five years?

My main focal point will be global immunisation, working mainly with WHO and the Gates Foundation. At the national level, I now hope to put more time into the work which seeks to link excellence in Australian science with the world of business and industry, particularly in the field of biotechnology.

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