Gallipoli Medical Research (GMR) launched a national three-year research program to establish how sport can improve health, wellbeing and transition outcomes for Australia’s veterans and their families at the Speaker’s Courtyard at Australian Parliament House yesterday.
The Friends of Gallipoli Medical Research (FGMR) initiative facilitates cross-sector collaboration to cement sport as a nationally recognised pathway during transition from Defence, providing the evidence needed to demonstrate that sport can restore purpose, identity and connection for Australian veterans and their families.
GMR CEO Miriam Kent said research shows sport can provide the sense of community, physical wellbeing and purpose that many veterans lose when transitioning out of the military.
“We know sport can be transformational for veteran health and wellbeing, but Australia lacks a comprehensive evidence base that tells us who is participating, what pathways work, and how those impacts can be measured,” Miriam said.
“These are the gaps that the Gallipoli Medical Research sport strategy is determined to close through our three-year sporting research program, which will build the evidence that turns sport from its anecdotal value into a proven intervention.”
The three-year research program will:
– Create an Australian-first, evidence-based, military culturally aware, state and national framework. This project is fully funded by Tim Fairfax AC, with generous support from The University of Queensland.
– Establish the state of play—map veteran and family participation in sport across Australia.
– Build a national framework—develop Australia’s first Veteran Sport Volunteering and Leadership Framework.
– Measure impact—establish a framework to quantify health, social, identity, transition and economic outcomes.
The initiative launched with support from the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and Minister for Defence Personnel the Hon Matt Keogh MP, Chief of Personnel Lieutenant General Natasha Fox AO CSC, CEO of Little Athletic Queensland Chris Davis with a special welcome from the Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives the Hon Milton Dick MP.
New Friends of Gallipoli Medical Research include ADF Sport, the new Veteran and Family Wellbeing Agency, RSL Australia, RSL Queensland, Legacy Brisbane and Greenslopes Private Hospital, who joined current Friends The Dolphins (NRL), Queensland Cricket and Brisbane Heat, Queensland Rugby Union and the Queensland Reds, Little Athletics Queensland, Hockey Queensland, Football Queensland, Tennis Queensland, Exercise and Sport Science Australia (ESSA), Queensland Rugby League and Sporting Wheelies.
Find out more about FGMR: https://www.gallipoliresearch.com.au/friends-of-gmr/
GMR Patron, Emeritus Prof John Pearn AO GCStJ RFD, GMR Board Chair, Dr Amanda Dines OAM, GMR CEO, Miriam Kent, Managing Director, Government Services at Bupa, Glenn McPhee, the Hon Dame Quentin Bryce AD CVO and the Hon Milton Dick MP
Lieutenant General Natasha Fox AO, the Hon Matt Keogh MP and GMR CEO, Miriam Kent
