Mental Health Carers NSW (MHCN, formerly ARAFMI) are proud to celebrate its 50th Anniversary with a special event at Parliament House, Sydney, on the 28 November 2024.

The event will include a 3-course plated lunch, drinks, and lucky door prizes.

Hosted by Julie McCrossin, special guest speakers include:

The Hon Rose Jackson, Minister for Mental Health
Jenny Learmont AM, President of Mental Health Carers NSW
Kerry Hawkins, Commissioner, National Mental Health Commission

The event will conclude with the awarding of Lifetime Memberships and Carer Recognition in Advocacy Awards.

Date: Thursday 28 November 2024
Time: 11.00 – 2.00pm. Registration from 10.00am
Venue: Stranger’s Room, Parliament House, Sydney
Cost: $20

Tickets are limited so registration is essential. You must register for the event to be able attend.

MHCN will be offering a small number of bursaries to assist people with financial hardship to attend the event. The bursary will cover the $20 registration fee.

If you want to apply for a bursary, please fill in this short form and someone from MHCN will get in contact with you: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YQTXQLV

We can’t wait to celebrate with you!

For any questions about the 50th Anniversary event, contact Laura Knight – laura.knight@mentalhealthcarersnsw.org

About the special guest speakers:

Julie McCrossin, MC
Julie McCrossin is a veteran radio and television broadcaster who spent over 20 years with ABC Radio National, ABC TV and Network Ten. She is now a freelance broadcaster, podcaster and MC. Julie was treated for throat cancer in 2013. Julie is an Ambassador forTargeting Cancer and TROG Cancer Research. She is a member of the advocacy group, Cancer Voices SA. Julie has qualifications in the arts, education and law. In 2019, she was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia for significant service to the community, particularly through LGBTIQ advocacy roles and to the broadcast media. www.juliemccrossin.com

The Hon Rose Jackson, Minister for Mental Health
Rose Jackson is a Labor Member of the NSW Legislative Council and Minister for Mental Health, Housing, Homelessness, Youth, Water and the North Coast. Rose was elected to the Legislative Council in May 2019 and has been fighting for real action on climate change and tackling homelessness and housing affordability.

Rose has also held a variety of roles within the labour and union movement including Assistant Secretary of NSW Labor and as an official for United Voice (formerly LHMU.)

Rose lives with her family in Rockdale and is passionate about making our society fairer for everyone.

Jenny Learmont AM, President MHCN
Jenny has been a carer for 40 years of a son with OCD, BPD and Bipolar disorder. She has been an active voice in the mental health and carer sector for many years. In 1990, Jenny established the Anxiety Disorders Alliance (ADA), a standing committee of Wayahead, formerly the Mental Health Association, and remained the chair until 2006. The ADA began support groups for people with anxiety and their families and carers, organised major conferences on anxiety disorders, and in 2000 launched Small Steps, an anxiety disorders program for schools and parents to recognise anxiety in children. Jenny was one of the original founding members and chair of BEING, formerly the NSW Consumers Advisory Committee. In 2012 she was elected to the Board of MHCN, and has been President since 2019. She has been a longstanding member of the NSW Mental Health Review Tribunal and has also led significant research into HIV. For all of her work and dedication, 1996 Jenny was honoured as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) and admitted to the degree of Doctor of Medicine Honoris Causa at UNSW.

Kerry Hawkins, National Mental Health Commissioner
Kerry is involved in a range of national and international projects working to transform existing mental health research, policies and services into needs-adapted, lived experience-driven systems informed by real world data, rights and equity values, and accountable to whole of government outcome frameworks. A Commissioner with the National Mental Health Commission, she is President of the Western Australian Association for Mental Health, and a Board member of Mental Health Carers Australia, Emerging Minds, Psychosis Australia Trust, Helping Minds, and Community Mental Health Australia. She is also a Faculty member of Yale University's Lived Experience Transformational Leadership Academy and an alumni of Harvard Kennedy School's Implementing Public Policy program.