In this episode, we explore the critical role of workforce investment in driving meaningful, system-wide change.

This panel discussion was recorded on 11 December 2025 at an in-person event that brought together leaders and workers from Victoria’s mental health and alcohol and other drug (AOD) sectors. The event was hosted by the Hamilton Centre in partnership with Mental Health Victoria and the Victorian Collaborative Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing.

The panel unpacks what it takes to translate investment in people into real-world impact. They discuss emerging models that embed lasting change, persistent barriers to progress and how we can strengthen the link between capability building and better outcomes for individuals, services and systems.

Guests

A/Prof Ravi Bhat AM

Associate Professor Ravi Bhat is Clinical Director at Goulburn Valley Mental Health and Wellbeing service and Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the Department of Rural Health at The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Medical School. He was recently recognised by the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) as a Rural Champion for 2025, for his leadership of mental health services in rural and regional settings.

Ms Madeleine Harradence

Ms Maddy Harradence is the branch secretary of the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) and is a registered nurse with extensive emergency department experience. Maddy has previously held the AOD portfolio with the ANMF and led the Branch’s education and advocacy work in AOD nurse and midwife training.

A/Prof Lee Allen

Associate Professor Lee Allen is a Deputy Chief Psychiatrist at the Office of the Chief Psychiatrist at Safer Care Victoria. She has chaired the RANZCP Victorian Branch training committee for psychiatry trainees for over a decade. She has an interest in wellbeing and curriculum design, sexual safety, mental health workforce, collaboration with primary mental health care and the voice of lived and living expertise in the community.

Moderator

Professor Dan Lubman AM

Executive Clinical Director at Turning Point and Professor of Addiction Studies and Services at Monash University.

Professor Lubman has worked across mental health and drug treatment settings in the UK and Australia. His research is wide-ranging and includes investigating the harms associated with alcohol, drugs and gambling, the impact of alcohol and drug use on brain function, the relationship between substance use, gambling and mental disorder, as well as the development of targeted telephone, online and face-to-face intervention programs within school, primary care, mental health and drug treatment settings.

In this special episode, we celebrate the two-year anniversary of the Hamilton Centre with two leaders at the forefront of integrated mental health and AOD care: Professor Margaret Hamilton AO, the inspiration behind the Centre’s name, and our Clinical Director Associate Professor Shalini Arunogiri.

They discuss the evolution of care models, the importance of addressing stigma and the future of integrated healthcare in Australia. Prof Margaret reflects on her long-standing career, including her foundational work at Turning Point, and the shifts in public attitudes towards addiction and co-occurring disorders. A/ Prof Shalini shares her insights into the challenges and opportunities within the sector, as well as the critical role the Hamilton Centre plays in driving system change.

This episode explores collaboration, policy change and advice for clinicians on the frontlines of mental health and addiction care. Tune in for a thoughtful conversation and a look ahead at how comprehensive care can transform the landscape of mental health and AOD services.

Our guests:

Professor Margaret Hamilton has over 50 years of experience in the drug and alcohol field. With a background in social work and public health, she has worked across a wide range of research, including epidemiology and policy. She has held several notable roles: Executive Member of the Australian National Council on Drugs, President of the Cancer Council Victoria, Board Member of VicHealth, Patron of DANA (Drug and Alcohol Nurses of Australasia), and Life Governor of the Australian Drug Foundation. Margaret was also the founding Director of Turning Point in Victoria.

Associate Professor Shalini Arunogiri is the Clinical Director at both the Hamilton Centre and Turning Point, as well as a clinical researcher at Monash University. Her research focuses on co-occurring mental health and addiction disorders. As an educator, Shalini is passionate about inspiring the next generation of medical professionals and actively promotes addiction psychiatry as a career to the medical students and junior doctors she mentors.

In this episode, we’re joined by two passionate advocates, Benn Veenker and Tharindu Jayadeva, who share their lived experiences and expertise in the mental health and alcohol and other drug (AOD) sectors.

They discuss how their journeys have shaped their work supporting others through recovery, the challenges they face and the stigma surrounding mental health and addiction. From the role of lived experience workers to systemic service gaps, they explore how communities can better support individuals and the importance of inclusive, trauma-responsive care.

Tune in for powerful insights on improving services, reducing stigma and creating more compassionate communities for those facing mental health and AOD challenges.

Our guests:

Benn Veenker is the Manager for Lived Experience Workforce and Advocacy at Turning Point, Australia’s leading national addiction treatment, training, and research centre. Benn is a passionate recovery advocate, dedicated to breaking down the stigma associated with substance use and mental health. With over 10 years of sharing his lived experience, he aims to reduce the time it takes for individuals to seek help for their substance use and/or mental health challenges.

Tharindu Jayadeva is a lived experience worker with a public health and community engagement background, working towards more meaningful and trauma-responsive care practices. Tharindu has designed, delivered, evaluated and advised on health projects at local, national and international organisations, including Orygen, Headspace, Batyr and Oaktree, and now works with the Butterfly Foundation, Mental Health Victoria and Alfred Health to bring a focus on co-design, lived experience storytelling and community participation.