Tracey Spicer to present Mental Health Australia Grace Groom Memorial Oration

Prominent media personality and gender-rights advocate, Tracey Spicer AM, will tonight deliver an address to over 150 mental health sector leaders, representatives and policy makers at the Mental Health Australia Grace Groom Memorial Oration at the National Gallery in Canberra.

With a journalism career spanning over 30 years, Ms Spicer has more recently turned her efforts to the issues of gender-based discrimination and sexual harassment, becoming a vocal #MeToo campaigner and authoring a memoir about the barriers facing women in the workplace.

Spicer said it’s an honour to be asked to present the Grace Groom Memorial Oration, and that she’s looking forward to sharing her story.

“It was extremely humbling to be asked to present this year’s Grace Groom Memorial Oration to a room of so many, who work so hard to help improve the mental health of all Australians,” said Ms Spicer.

“In my book, I wrote about my beloved father’s challenges with depression and anxiety. Now, I’d like to raise awareness of the long-term effects of sexual harassment and indecent assault on victims and survivors.”

Mental Health Australia CEO Frank Quinlan said tonight’s Oration will be a chance to celebrate and reflect on the year.

“Just last week, we saw Tracey take home two prestigious Walkley Awards for Excellence in Journalism and we’re all looking forward to hearing her take on the media industry, but also the #MeToo campaign where she has been extremely active,” said Mr Quinlan.

“Tonight’s Oration will see Tracey draw on her own personal experiences of workplace discrimination and the stories of other women – victims of sexual assault and gender-based violence - to inform our guests on the mental health impacts of gender inequality on women and girls in Australia”.

The Grace Groom Memorial Oration was established in 2007 to honour the memory of Grace Groom, a former CEO of Mental Health Australia (then, the Mental Health Council of Australia). Ms Groom passed away in 2006 and is remembered as a strong, committed reformist who worked tirelessly to create a better mental health system for people with mental illness and their carers.

List of Grace Groom Memorial Orators

2007 - Professor Ian Hickie AM
2008 - The Hon Nicola Roxon MP
2009 - Professor Geoff Gallop AC
2010 - Professor Pat McGorry AO
2011 - Craig Hamilton
2012 - Jessica Rowe AM       
2013 - Jennifer Westacott
2014 - Vice Admiral Ray Griggs AO,
2015 - Professor Mike Slade
2016 – The Hon Jeff Kennett AC
2017 – The Hon Greg Hunt MP
2018 – Tracey Spicer OAM

The 2018 Grace Groom Memorial Oration will take place on Monday 26 November from 6:30pm at the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra.