Friday, June 6, 2008
Professor Mason Durie recognised for long-term commitment to mental health
Professor Mason Durie’s long commitment to psychiatry and mental health was acknowledged by the Royal Australian and New
Zealand College of Psychiatrists in Melbourne last week.
He is the first New Zealander to be awarded the college's Mark Sheldon Prize for meritorious work in service provision
and research to advance knowledge and understanding of indigenous mental health.
Professor Durie is Massey's Professor of Mäori Research and Development, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Mäori) and Acting Pro
Vice-Chancellor of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.
Dr Julian Freidin, chair of the psychiatrists' college awards committee said Professor Durie had transformed mental
health services in New Zealand over the past 30 years. "He introduced Mäori health perspectives into treatment and care
at a time when culture was considered irrelevant to clinical progress, and provided both vision and guidance in the
development of models of care relevant to Mäori," Dr Freidin said.
“More recently Professor Durie has led three national Mäori mental health workforce programmes and has been engaged in
wide-ranging research relating to improved mental health services. In addition to his interests in health he has
lectured and written extensively on broader issues of indigenous advancement and especially contemporary Mäori
development.”
The prize honours the life of Dr Sheldon, whose abiding professional interest was indigenous mental health.
Professor Durie was invited to deliver a keynote address to the college congress and took the opportunity to discuss
Måori workforce development as a key driver for increasing Måori health gains.
ENDS