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

I'd like to lend my support to the comments from the member for Fowler. Truly, the frontline healthcare workers, both in pharmacies and in hospitals, are the true heroes of this pandemic and deserve all the praise this parliament can give them.

I rise today to speak of Lucinda Brogden, who is undoubtedly a well-deserving recipient of the Order of Australia medal, which was awarded as part of the Queen's Birthday Honours List 2019. Lucinda—or Lucy, as she is better known to her friends—was recognised for her outstanding service to mental health and wellbeing. She has committed herself to preventing suicide and improving mental health on the Northern Beaches and across the country. During Lucy's tenure as the chair of the National Mental Health Commission, her work has seen mental health become a national priority. Lucy has made it her life mission to help others, all the while building a stronger community and empowering many. Lucy's most outstanding contribution to mental health is seen in her work for The Mentally Healthy Workplace Alliance. Mrs Brogden's aim was to put a halt to an increasing trend of suicide, and then reduce it by providing evidence based advice on suicide and self-harm issues to the government and community. Lucy has also established the Partners in Depression program, providing support for families of those suffering from mental illness. It is unsurprising that across the country Lucy is recognised as a strong-willed individual advocating for mental health. This was formally recognised in 2015 when she was named one of the 100 women of influence in Australia.

Locally, Lucy does a plethora of work with mental health programs. One of the many contributions is her work with the Sydney Women's Fund, which holds a focus on supporting women and girls in Sydney. Here, Lucy has established a workplace whereby women are given the opportunity to thrive. Through the Sydney Women's Fund, Lucy's goal has been to address the resource gap in social investment for women in Sydney. Lucy commented that it has been particularly wonderful to see the incredible bipartisan support for improving mental health.

There is no doubt in my mind that Lucy has improved the lives of many who are living with mental illness, struggling with mental health as well as working to support their families. Lucy is an active member of our community, participating in activities such as lifesaving, tutoring and surfboat rowing. Lucy's mission is to remove the stigma that is too often associated with mental illness by establishing a community where a person's private life remains private and one is able to enjoy their work life without facing discrimination due to mental illness.