Jason Falinski (Mackellar, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Professor Michael Cousins AM is truly an outstanding member of the Mackellar community. But his work and legacy spans much further than just our community. Professor Cousins has had an impressive career, working in the field of persistent pain for over 40 years as a clinician, researcher, educator, administrator and community advocate. Professor Cousins has developed two multidisciplinary pain centres: one at the Flinders Medical Centre in Adelaide and the second, the Michael J Cousins Pain Management and Research Centre, at the Royal North Shore Hospital. Having written three books and over 350 peer reviewed publications, it is safe to say that the professor has kept himself busy. He also served as the founding president of the Australian Pain Society and founding dean of the Faculty of Pain Medicine at the University of Sydney. In 2010, his policy work became significant, as he chaired the National Pain Summit in Canberra, which led to the National Pain Strategy, the world's first national framework for the best-practice assessment, treatment and management of acute, chronic and cancer pain. This led to Professor Cousins being invited to chair the International Pain Summit in Montreal in 2010.

None of these works are small feats. Professor Cousins has made it his life's work to improve the lives of others through pain management. Last November, his selfless work was recognised and honoured in a portrait by the New South Wales artist Peter Smeeth. (Time expired)