Jack and Cal are joined by new Thorne Harbour Health CEO Chad Hughes, and discuss the critical challenge of delivering equitable health services to our diverse communities in regional Victoria and South Australia.
Chad dives into the organisation’s strategy of embedding practitioners with lived experience into mainstream rural clinics to ensure privacy and reduce stigma for those not ready to come out locally.
We also explore the unique dynamics of regional pride events and the importance of empowering local experiences over a one size fits all approach.
Given the growing crisis of misinformation in the age of AI, Thorne Harbour’s forty-year legacy of trust is more vital than ever, especially as the organisation expands its national reach through innovative digital platforms.
Chapters
00:00 – Intro
01:56 – Chad’s origin story involving genetics, a trip to Uganda in the late 90s, and the pivotal moment that drove him toward public health
06:14 – Setting up harm reduction programs over four years living in a remote Nepalese village, learning the language, and overcoming his needle phobia
11:39 – Leadership philosophy, focusing on mentoring others, the satisfaction of population-level impact versus individual care, and his framework for making tough decisions under pressure
14:45 – Living in Daylesford, the unique nature of regional queer communities compared to the city, and the specific challenges of delivering health services to isolated trans and gender-diverse youth
20:00 – The importance of supporting local autonomy in events like Bendigo Pride
24:46 – Thorne Harbour’s 40-year history of adapting to diverse community requirements
28:47 – Misinformation and AI-generated content, highlighting why Thorne Harbour’s reputation for trusted health information is more valuable than ever
33:32 – The current political climate, funding challenges in Victoria, the importance of a unified sector, and the significance of having a community member as the new Minister for Health
38:13 – Chad’s hobby of birding, his spark bird, and how observing nature serves as a mindfulness practice
48:14 – Parallels between the patience required for birding and the calm, observant leadership style needed to manage staff dealing with vicarious trauma and complex community crises
49:42 – Ensuring services are truly community-led, responsive to emerging threats like Mpox, and accessible to everyone regardless of location or identity
Want more Well Well Well?
Check out our other JOY Podcasts for more on LGBTIQ+ health and wellbeing at joy.org.au/wellwellwell.
If there’s something you’d like us to explore on the show, send through ideas or questions at wellwellwell@joy.org.au
Find out more about LGBTIQ+ services and events in Victoria and South Australia at thorneharbour.org and samesh.org.au
Produced by: Caleb Hawk, Jack Crnjanin
