Monash University has announced the appointment of former federal Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt, as the foundation Chair of the Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health’s Advisory Council.

The Turner Institute is a world leader in research dedicated to preventative brain and mental health research, treatment and education.

Hunt is a highly experienced former Cabinet Minister in the Australian Government, having served as Australia’s Minister for the Environment, Innovation and Health across three major portfolios over almost nine years.

As Minister for Health from 2017 to 2022, he oversaw Australia’s response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, established telehealth as a permanent and universal centrepiece of medicare, reformed private health and established long-term plans for mental health, aged care, medical research and primary care and listed over 2,000 medicines for public access.

He oversaw an annual budget of $132 billion, 17 portfolio agencies and 7,000 staff.