CEO Update: Vale Tim Fischer, an advocate for country and city people alike
Vale Tim Fischer, an advocate for country and city people alike
Tim Fischer was deputy prime minister in John Howard's government from 1996 to 1999 and leader of the federal Nationals between 1990 and 1999. He will be honoured and at a State Funeral in Albury (my place of birth) today, and after more than 30 years in public life and office, he will be remembered fondly.
Which is certainly no surprise to me, following my one and only encounter with him.
In 2009 I was among a rag tag bunch of Catholic Social Services staff on a study tour to the UK and Europe.
When we were in Rome, the then first resident Australian Ambassador to the Holy See, Tim Fischer travelled across town on public transport to meet us in an ancient grotto and regale us with stories of politics, railways, and international diplomacy.
He didn’t attend because he had to, not because we were important, but just because we were Australian and he wanted to connect. Generous, funny, honourable, humble. It gave me a great insight into how he represented people. He made an impression, and an impression that has remained with me for a decade or more.
On his sad passing last week, our friends and members at the National Rural Health Alliance penned a tribute, saying “Tim was country through and through… And won the respect of country and city people alike, giving him unequalled authority to speak about issues affecting rural communities”. A true advocate for his community, representing his people.
And you don’t have to look too far back to see the former Deputy PM advocating for young people in rural communities, and for their mental health.
Speaking as the Patron for the Country Education Foundation of Australia (CEF) event in August last year, Mr Fischer helped highlight a University of Newcastle study, published by the Medical Journal of Australia, revealing that stress associated with the drought was more acute in younger people and was affecting their mental health and wellbeing.
The Drought-related stress among farmers: findings from the Australian Rural Mental Health Study found that:
Farmers in NSW experience significant stress about the effects of drought on themselves, their families, and their communities. Farmers who are younger, live and work on a farm, experience financial hardship, or are isolated are at particular risk of drought-related stress. Medical practitioners who provide assistance to farmers and farming communities can contribute to initiatives that relieve stress about drought.
And in introducing the study, Mr Fischer was quick to link the importance of education and the ability to face challenges, to help improve mental health in rural communities.
“There are many crossroads in life, from teenager to adulthood, from student to workplace, and so forth,” Mr Fischer said at the CEF event in August 2018.
“For country people, these crossroads become even harder to traverse in periods of intense drought and other climate wildcards,” he said.
“This is exactly where the Country Education Foundation has a vital role to play in its interface with students, to help them through the challenges of academic and practical endeavour.”
Vale Tim Fischer, a true advocate for his community, a true advocate for Australia.
Warm regards,
Frank Quinlan
Chief Executive Officer
Sign the Joint Letter to the Prime Minister and our Charter 2020 'Time To Fix Mental Health'
Thank you to the 60 + organisations that have already signed our Joint Letter to the Prime Minister and Charter 2020 'Time To Fix Mental Health', as listed below.
The letter is deliberately free of Mental Health Australia letterhead and branding to highlight our collaboration, and with the Charter 2020 'Time To Fix Mental Health', it will become the basis for our advocacy campaign over the coming months, ahead of the release of the Productivity Commission Inquiry Draft Report in November.
We hope to present the Prime Minister with the Joint Letter and Charter 2020 'Time To Fix Mental Health' during the next sitting of the Parliament.
Signatories as at 28 August, 2019
Farewell Liz Crowther, and welcome Laura Collister
We join with Wellways in thanking Liz Crowther for her incredible 24 years of service to the mental health sector as the CEO of Wellways. We wish her all the very best for her future endeavours as she leaves this role. We also join with Wellways in welcoming aboard Laura Collister as the new Wellways CEO and look forward to working closely with her from December.
Join the Mental Health Australia team!
We have an exciting opportunity for a passionate Senior Project and Engagement Officer to join the team in Canberra, on a full-time basis.
Reporting to the National Project Manager, you will be responsible for developing key relationships and engaging with state and territory mental health services, Primary Health Networks, and other multicultural mental health stakeholders. This position will promote and support implementation of the Framework for Mental Health in Multicultural Australia (the Framework) and other elements of the Embrace Multicultural Mental Health Project (Embrace Project).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Next week I will be on leave, returning Monday 9th September. On Thursday, Harry Lovelock – Director, Policy & Projects will be attending the next Mental Health Expert Reference Panel meeting in Sydney. And on Friday, we will be celebrating Women’s Health Week with a morning tea, and discussions about women’s health in the office. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
