Professor Paul Zimmet pioneered Australia's first Institute dedicated exclusively to diabetes research, education and clinical care, becoming the Foundation Director when the International Diabetes Institute was opened at the hospital by the Governor General, Sir Ninian Stephen, in Melbourne in July 1985. He was appointed to the Chair of Diabetes at Monash University in 1989 (see: http://www.diabetes.com.au/about.php?regionID=153 ).
Professor Paul Zimmet, Monash University diabetologist, on the Indigenous Australian and global diabetes epidemic (2006): “"If we don't do something, there is a real chance that Australia's indigenous community will be wiped out by the end of the century. The world needs to act now if we're to deal with this problem, which threatens to consume world economies and bankrupt health systems. We are dealing with the biggest epidemic in world history." [1].
[1]. Jill Stark, “Diabetes “threatens to wipe out Aborigines””, The Age, 13 November 2006: http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/diabetes-could-wipe-out-aborigines/2006/11/12/1163266413553.html .