On Wednesday 24 July 2019 Equity Trustees hosted an important discussion with global mental health ambassador Mr Alastair Campbell. Mr Campbell is currently in Australia to participate in a series of events focusing on ‘the politics of mental health’.

The lunch, introduced by Equity Trustees’ Chairman The Hon. Jeffrey Kennett AC, forms part of this national event series. The events are being run by Orygen, the National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, in partnership with Cooper Investors, Australians for Mental Health, and the Maitri Foundation.

As an ambassador for the Time to Change mental health campaign, Mr Campbell joined a panel of mental health experts and advocates which included Professor Pat McGorry (Orygen), Dr Jane Gilmour (William Buckland Foundation) and Suparna Bhasin (Maitri Foundation).

Mr Campbell spoke openly about his own battle with depression and called on government as well as society at large to take a more proactive and empathetic approach towards mental illness and those it affects.

Mr Campbell is internationally renowned as the high-profile media strategist and spokesman for former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. In recognition for his campaign work around mental health, he was appointed Mind Champion of the Year in 2009 by UK-based charity Mind.

Watch the coverage of the event on Sky News here.