Leading role in NZ mental health reform

Professor Max Abbott is particularly grateful to his peers, after being awarded a CNZM.PHOTO/FILE

A man who has proved himself to be academically one of the most successful former pupils of Kuranui College has been named a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM) for services to health, science and education.

Professor Max Abbott has been Dean of the Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences since 1991 and is Pro Vice Chancellor of the Auckland University of Technology (AUT).

From a long established South Wairarapa family -- especially on the maternal side, his mother being Marjory Abbott (nee Wendon) -- he was educated at Featherston School and at Kuranui from 1965-68.

Apart from his academic ability, Max Abbott was also a prominent sportsman at college, playing in the Kuranui College first XV rugby team as a forward and contemporary of later All Black great Grant Batty. He went on to Victoria University and then to Canterbury University, emerging with a PhD.

Professor Abbott was the first person ever to be appointed national director of the Mental Health Foundation, a position he took up in 1981 and played a leading role in reforming the country's mental health policies, law and services.

He has been instrumental in opening up AUT -- now the country's second largest university -- to diverse health professions and developing the AUT Millennium Sports Science Academy and AUT South Campus.

The citation for his award reads that Professor Abbott has made "original contributions to public health and mental health research and is a prolific author and international presenter".

He has chaired many national and international conference organising committees. Professor Abbott was named president of the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) in 1991 and went on to establish and co-chairman World Mental Health Day a year later.

He is now senior consultant to the WFMH board and has served on many governmental boards and committees. Professor Abbott was awarded the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal and is a life member of both WFMH and the International Council of Psychologists.

Although approaching retirement age, Professor Abbott said he has no plans to retire.

"I am committed, over the next four to five years, to multi-million dollar research programmes anyway," he said.

As far as receiving the honour is concerned Professor Abbott said he felt "a bit ambivalent about it".

Whereas the majority of recipients had "genuinely contributed in some way", he felt there had been others in the past who had received honours undeservedly. "There are also vast numbers of people who contribute and who don't get recognised. So I feel a bit ambivalent but it is good to to be recognised."

Professor Abbott said the proudest part was knowing that, for him to be rewarded with an honour, the honours committee would have had to consult with others he worked with and knew. "It is the endorsement from my peers that is the most important thing to me."