17c起草社区

Kate Carnell recently stepped down from her role as the CEO of beyondblue. In , we caught up with her weeks before she left, where she reflected on making the mental health organisation more pro-LGBTI than it ever was.

IN late 2011, beyondblue was listing from one crisis to another, including claims it neglected LGBTI issues. This was played out in very public circumstances, undermining its credibility.

A perception had emerged that its founder, former Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett, was out of touch. It was suggested his personal values 鈥� even his faith 鈥� conflicted with the organisation鈥檚 values.

In 2009, Fairfax Media ran a story that beyondblue was alleged to have 鈥渋gnored鈥� the LGBTI community. Kennett was thought by some to be behind this.

The mess beyondblue was in wasn鈥檛 helped by a September 2011 column in the聽Herald Sun聽where Kennett broached issues of depression in children.

鈥淐learly the best environment in which to bring a child into the world is a stable, loving environment in which a male and female are married to each other,鈥� he wrote.

It was problematic for beyondblue because in his column Kennett referred to his role as the organisation鈥檚 chairman and his tenure of 11 years. He also referred to a 鈥渟obering鈥� report by a legal professor on the state of families.

However, Professor Parkinson鈥檚 non-peer reviewed report was said to have been commissioned by the Australian Christian Lobby and it was criticised as he was not known as an expert on childhood anxiety.

Kennett鈥檚 column also added to the already-strained relationships with his then-chief executive Dawn O鈥橬eil. Despite mediation attempts after just eight months in the role, she was gone 鈥� but only after she accused Kennett of bullying her. He denied the bullying and would later say the timing of her departure was just a 鈥渃oincidence鈥� to his recent comments that offended the LGBTI community.

Now leaderless, questions were being raised as to why beyondblue needed $30 million annually when they were not involved in service delivery, but mainly focus on information and advertising campaigns.

In October 2011, Fairfax Media鈥檚 Jill Stark, who had covered various tensions within beyondbllue over several years, suggested the once 鈥減olished performer鈥� was 鈥渋n turmoil, with its very purpose being questioned鈥�.

Stark鈥檚 story also said Kennett was bringing on much of the trouble himself because of 鈥渃omments about gay parenting, pokies and bisexual football trainers had enraged the gay community, mental health professionals and beyondblue staff鈥�.

Enter Kate Carnell (pictured above). As beyondblue鈥檚 deputy chair since 2010, and a board member since 2008, Carnell and Kennett knew each other well. Carnell鈥檚 pedigree included being the former health minister, then chief minister, of the ACT, before becoming a chief executive of a major employer association.

Carnell was installed as beyondblue鈥檚 new chief executive in January 2012 on the condition of a tenure of no聽 more than three years 鈥� due to being away from her husband and children.

At the time, Kennett said Carnell 鈥漦new the organisation, its staff and partners well鈥�. While Carnell praised O鈥橬eil鈥檚 ability, she conceded she was not a 鈥渃ultural fit鈥� and her replacement had to work.

鈥淲e could not afford a big gap to find another CEO and we also could not afford to have another problem,鈥� Carnell said.

Her first job was to restore stability.

鈥淎ny organisation has to be okay internally before it can be seen to be okay externally,鈥� she said.

Carnell explained the absence of LGBTI programs at beyondblue was an example of the organisation growing organically, as it would add a new project each year or so. She referred to LGBTI mental health data as both 鈥渄istressing鈥� and provided a 鈥渃ompelling鈥� reason for beyondblue to get involved with mental health issues, particularly among LGBTI youth. In the process, she did not defend the prioritising of other programs ahead of the LGBTI community.

In discussing the change of direction under Carnell鈥檚 leadership with the聽17c起草社区, Kennett attributed the rapid turnaround of programs for the LGBTI community to 鈥渂etter education鈥� but he didn鈥檛 elaborate immediately on what that was. He echoed Carnell鈥檚 position that beyondblue鈥檚 model was to add a new target group every year or two.

He also spoke in general terms about the LGBTI community consultation: 鈥淲e had round tables with the LGBTI community and developed programs that have been invaluable.鈥�

During the height of community anger at beyondblue and Kennett personally, they were the target of an education broadcast by LGBTI community radio station Joy949.

Station general manager Tass Mousaferiadis and president David McArthy had beyondblue, Kennett and 3AW breakfast radio host Neil Mitchell in their sights.

McArthy explained why they did this: 鈥淲e saw what was happening as an opportunity. Despite some vitriolic community static, we built a great relationship with beyondblue and have a great relationship with 3AW.

鈥淚n a first, 3AW and Joy949 did a joint outside broadcast and addressed the issues of youth suicide. Joy949鈥檚 approach was to help men like Mitchell and Kennett see and hear real life stories.鈥�

McArthy also recounted the power of the day: 鈥淚f you can imagine two grown men listening to a call from a mother talking about her kid that had killed themself, well, both Neil and I were in tears.鈥�

He credited the day with helping Kennett and聽Mitchell become strong supporters of the community, especially around marriage equality 鈥� which they had both opposed. He stressed that beyond these two men, and by better engaging with beyondblue and LGBTI issues, it sent a powerful signal to people who had strong views against equality 鈥� that it was okay to change your mind. The broadcast went on to win honours at the annual community and commercial radio industry awards.

鈥淚t is important to recognise that Jeff Kennett and Neil Mitchell have completely changed their view on gay marriage and support it 100 per cent. beyondblue have spent millions on programs since,鈥� McArthy said.

He also saw the joint broadcast as a significant milestone: 鈥淭hat was the first time the (LGBTI community) have had exposure for a morning on a free-to-air station.鈥�

Kennett viewed the event as one of Carnell鈥檚 legacy items that better connected beyondblue with the LGBTI community.

He also spoke about his personal change of heart: 鈥淲hat right have I got to deny any law abiding citizen the same happiness and pleasure that I have got out of life?

鈥淚f the (LGBTI community) want to enjoy happiness, what right have I got to stop that? It is very hard to argue against (marriage equality) when you look at it like that, which is why for the last two years I have been a strong voice in support of it.鈥�

Despite there being a significant broadening of Kennett鈥檚 inclusiveness since Carnell鈥檚 tenure at the top, and despite being privately acknowledged for her influence, she took no credit.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 tell Jeff what to do. That wouldn鈥檛 work,鈥� she said.

McArthy praised Carnell for her leadership and achieving a remarkable change: 鈥淩ight from the beginning there were people at beyondblue that knew this needed to happen but it didn鈥檛 happen.

鈥淭here are a whole range of reasons why this was and it is not down to any one person. Just as the fish stinks from the head, change starts at the top and Kate was a big part of that.鈥�

By October 2012, just seven months into Carnell鈥檚 tenure, beyondblue had their first LGBTI resources, targeting awareness around bullying and LGBTI-identifying or questioning youth. The first of its kind in its 12-year history.

This was a critical achievement because the year before, men鈥檚 health charity Movember Foundation 鈥� who were responsible for around 30 per cent of beyondblue鈥檚 funding at the time 鈥� were planning to drop ties with them because of their perceived anti-gay approach. By delivering one month before their annual 鈥淢ovember鈥� campaign, Carnell had managed to keep one of their biggest backers on side.

Last year beyondblue also collaborated with PFLAG to produce the聽Families Like Mine聽resource for families of LGBTI-identifying people and it was launched by former Governor-General Quentin Bryce.

Responding to criticism that beyondblue had a big budget considering they did not deliver services, they now do, although they still steer clear of clinical services.

Carnell acknowledged this was a complete change of strategy.

鈥淚t was a big step as it as something we had always determined not to do,鈥� she said.

鈥淔undamentally, our job is to make a difference to the lives of people affected by depression and anxiety.鈥�

One the big winners of this change in strategy is QLife, the national telephone counselling and online chat service for the LGBTI community. beyondblue provided practical support to them where once this would not have been possible. Carnell said: 鈥淲e are no longer negative to these ideas as we once were and as long as we can make a difference we can consider it.鈥�

She also credited Kennett for making beyondblue very connected to the LGBTI community, saying he was one of few 60-year-old men who had a capacity to change his views: 鈥淲hen Jeff made his statement to move to support same sex marriage, this showed this.鈥�

Just two years and four months has passed and Carnell is now leaving, slightly ahead of her three year commitment, to become the chief executive of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Kennett reflected on Carnell鈥檚 leadership at beyondblue.

鈥淜ate was a stabilising force after the challenges we had with the previous CEO,鈥� he said.

鈥淣ot only has she re-won the confidence of the board, but also the staff which wasn鈥檛 the case with the previous CEO. She has strengthened our relationship with health departments. She knew the organisation well. We will miss her. We are grateful for her service.鈥�

And as Carnell takes on her next career move, she already made a firm commitment to seeing small and medium enterprises embrace diversity.

(Main image: Kate Carnell. Photo: Miles Heffernan)