Newly appointed as Chair of Vision 2020, Christopher Pyne is this week’s special guest on Talking Vision.
After retiring from politics 2019, Mr Pyne is now helming the peak body for the eye health and vision care sector.
Christopher has a personal connection to the sector as his father Dr Remington Pyne was an ophthalmologist who was instrumental in creating the first National Trachoma and Eye Health Programme to help in restoring sight to many Indigenous Australians.
“He had been a royal flying doctor in Alice Springs in the 1950s and fell in love with ophthalmology,” Mr Pyne told Steven Jolley on Talking Vision.
“So there was great synergy in me taking on the role to continue that legacy.”
Pictured: Christopher Pyne
He said his priorities as Chair will be to focus on the ever-changing NDIS and advocate for better employment opportunities for people who are blind or have low vision.
Indigenous eye health is also a personal interest of Mr Pyne.
“We’ve certainly come a long way but there’s still a long way to come,” he said.
“We are one of the few if only countries in the developed world that still has trachoma issue.
“We have to focus on eliminating trachoma entirely in our Indigenous community.”
Listen to the full interview here
Talking Vision is a weekly discussion of issues relating to blindness and low vision.
It includes stories of inspiration and achievement and information on services for the community.
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