On Monday 31 May 2010, the Rural Health Education Foundation hosted an event in Canberra which 
celebrated the appointment of Tom Calma as the organisation’s new Patron.
The function, which took place at The Lobby restaurant near Old Parliament House, was attended by some 70 people, including Her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce AC, Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia; the Honourable Warren Snowdon, Minister for Indigenous Health, Rural and Regional Health and Regional Services Delivery; and Andrew Southcott, MP, the Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Health Services, Health and Wellbeing.
Formal speakers at the event were Minister Snowdon - who formally introduced Tom Calma and spoke of their long friendship and association; Ms Margaret Norington, representing the Rural Health Education Foundation’s Board of Directors; and Tom Calma himself, who spoke about his background, his reasons for taking on the role of Patron of the Foundation and outlined the Foundation’s key priorities for the coming year. The invited guests also viewed an exclusive preview of the Foundation’s new documentary Outback Healers and Heroines: Female GPs in Rural Practice, scheduled for premiere television broadcast on SBS TV on 3 June 2010 at 3.30pm.
Don Perlgut, CEO of the Rural Health Education Foundation, was the master of ceremonies for the event. Photos of the event can be seen below.
