Harrington man Bill Burges can count himself in a rarified circle of high profile philanthropists.
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On Thursday, November 8, he attended the prestigious Research Australia Health and Medical Research Awards, the pinnacle of Australian research awards, at the Sofitel in Sydney. He was there to accept the Great Australian Philanthropy Award on behalf of the Burges Family Trust.
The award was given to the Burges Family Trust for “for its high impact and transformative quality to Australian health and medical research” as a result of “generosity that has spanned two generations.”
“In the past this award has gone to people like Dame Elizabeth Murdoch, Lady Mary Fairfax, the Myer family, Frank Lowy, amongst others. Last year the winner was Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest and Nicola Forrest, the year before was the McCusker Charitable Foundation. So we were very honoured,” Bill said.
Bill and his brother Stephen established the trust in 2003 in honour of their parents, Bill and Iris.
Stephen was unable to attend the awards as he is a Professor Emeritus at the University of Washington in Seattle.
When their father was dying of cancer, Stephen “floated the idea” of establishing the trust as neither Stephen nor Bill had children to pass an inheritance on to.
“I suggested that we do something in Newcastle. Dr John Marley was then the Pro Vice Chancellor (Health) at University of Newcastle and he and the legal department in the vice chancellor’s office set the trust up,” Bill said.
“My lawyers, Stacks the Law Firm, gave it the once over and the whole thing was approved by the Taxation Department and I’ve been giving and Steve’s been giving since 2003.
The Trust, through the University of Newcastle, supports the Bill and Iris Burges Professorship of Medical Science, which provided seed funding for the position of HMRI (Hunter Medical Research Institute) Director.
To date the Trust has contributed more than $4 million to supporting medical sciences in the Hunter.
Julia Driscoll
Julia Driscoll has worked as a journalist for the Wingham Chronicle and Manning River Times for seven years. She values the deep connection with community that being a rural and regional journalist brings. Career highlights have involved environmental stories - bringing the plight of the little known endangered Manning River helmeted turtle to the attention of the public, resulting in wide-spread knowledge in the community and conservation action; and breaking the news of the Manning River ceasing to run for the first time in recorded history.
Julia Driscoll has worked as a journalist for the Wingham Chronicle and Manning River Times for seven years. She values the deep connection with community that being a rural and regional journalist brings. Career highlights have involved environmental stories - bringing the plight of the little known endangered Manning River helmeted turtle to the attention of the public, resulting in wide-spread knowledge in the community and conservation action; and breaking the news of the Manning River ceasing to run for the first time in recorded history.
