In Australia, serious mental illness is much more common in women than it is in men. In 2021, 23% of all women reported experiencing some form of serious depression or anxiety. That compares to 14% of men.

This gender disparity is example of what drives the work of our guest on this episode of Public Sector Perspectives: Professor Jayashri Kulkarni AM, Professor of Psychiatry at the Alfred Hospital and Monash University and the Founder and Director of two research centres: the HER Centre Australia and the Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre. Together we examine why using a gender lens is so important when we think about mental health services for women, whether the current funding priorities in mental health services are appropriate and what gives Professor Kulkarni hope that things will get better.

This is the second of two episodes profiling two women who are changing the way health services are delivered in Australia. The first episode profiles the work of Professor Marion Saville AM, Executive Director of Australian Centre for the Prevention of Cervical Cancer.

RESOURCES REFERRED TO IN THIS PODCAST

• Find out more about the work of the HER Centre Australia (https://www.monash.edu/medicine/her-centre) and the Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre (https://www.alfredhealth.org.au/research/research-areas/maprc).

• You can find out more details about IPAA Victoria’s upcoming events here https://www.vic.ipaa.org.au/events/.

This episode of Public Sector Perspectives profiles an unsung public policy success story: Australia is on track to be the first country in the world to effectively eliminate cervical cancer. We talk to Professor Marion Saville AM, Executive Director at the Australian Centre for the Prevention of Cervical Cancer, about what has put us in this unique position and what she thinks are the lessons this success should teach us about effective public policy.

This is the first of two episodes profiling two women who are changing the way health services are delivered in Australia. The second episode profiles the work of Professor Jayashri Kulkarni AM who is Professor of Psychiatry at The Alfred Hospital and Monash University and the founder of two research centres focusing on women’s mental health.

Podcast Host

Nick Bastow

IPAA Victoria

Podcast Guest

Professor Marion Saville AM

Executive Director at the Australian Centre for the Prevention of Cervical Cancer

RESOURCES REFERRED TO IN THIS PODCAST

• You can find out more about the work of the Australian Centre for the Prevention Cervical Cancer here: https://acpcc.org.au/

• Details about the Centre’s work to reduce cervical cancer in the Pacific region can be found here: https://acpcc.org.au/epicc-program-update-may-2025-on-our-journey-to-fairer-cervical-cancer-outcomes-in-the-indo-pacific-region/

• This Our World In Data summary shows the extraordinary potential of combined vaccination and screening programs to effectively eliminate cervical cancer worldwide: https://ourworldindata.org/hpv-vaccination-world-can-eliminate-cervical-cancer

You can find out more details about IPAA Victoria’s upcoming events here: https://www.vic.ipaa.org.au/events/

IPAA Victoria CEO Amanda Stevens speaks with Robert Hortle – one of IPAA Victoria’s newest Fellows and Commissioner of Wage Inspectorate Victoria. Robert talks about his career in the public sector and the secret to being a good industry regulator. He also reflects on the work of the Inspectorate and why the impact of the public sector needs to be measured in both the really big - and the really tiny - moments.

Wage Inspectorate Victoria promotes (https://www.vic.gov.au/wage-inspectorate-victoria) and enforces Victoria’s long service leave, child employment, owner driver and forestry contractor laws.

You can find out more details about IPAA Victoria’s other new Fellows here: https://www.vic.ipaa.org.au/insights/ipaa-victoria-announces-2024-victorian-fellows/

IPAA CEO Amanda Stevens speaks with Brigid Monagle – one of IPAA Victoria’s newest Fellows and Commissioner of the Victorian Public Sector Commission. Brigid talks about her career in the public sector and how watching federal budgets being delivered on television was the beginning of her interest in public policy. She also discusses the importance of understanding the values that underpin the Victorian Public Sector Code of Conduct and the core capabilities that all good public servants need.

RESOURCES REFERRED TO IN THIS PODCAST

• The Victorian Public Sector Code of Conduct is here: https://vpsc.vic.gov.au/ethics-behaviours-culture/codes-of-conduct/code-of-conduct-for-victorian-public-sector-employees/

• Adam Grant’s idea of 'character skills' – as opposed to ‘soft skills’ – comes from his book Hidden Potential: https://adamgrant.net/book/hidden-potential/

• you can find out more details about IPAA Victoria’s other new Fellows here: https://www.vic.ipaa.org.au/insights/ipaa-victoria-announces-2024-victorian-fellows/

• and our upcoming events here: https://www.vic.ipaa.org.au/events/

As part of IPAA Victoria's Fellows Voice series, Amanda Stevens, Chief Executive Officer, IPAA Victoria, interviews Ella McPherson, Deputy Commissioner, Victorian Public Sector Commission, about her career journey.

As part of IPAA Victoria's Fellows Voice series, Dr Marija Maher, Chief Operating Officer, Victorian Ombudsman, interviews Pam Anders, Senior Executive Director, Mental Health & Wellbeing Transformation, Department of Health, about her significant commitment to public service and experience in implementing reform from the Royal Commission in Victoria's Mental Health System.

As part of IPAA Victoria's Fellows Voice series, Amanda Stevens, CEO, IPAA Victoria interviews Simon Corden, Essential Services Commissioner, and 2023 Fellow inductee about his significant commitment to public service and experience in leading organisations and teams.

RESOURCES REFERRED TO IN THIS PODCAST

UK Post Office Scandal explainer

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-56718036

Mr Bates and the Post Office

https://www.smh.com.au/culture/tv-and-radio/the-true-crime-drama-about-the-uk-post-office-which-caused-a-national-scandal-20240201-p5f1pf.html

Westminster Tradition podcast

https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/the-westminster-tradition/id1695815010

In this follow-up podcast to IPAA Victoria's AI and the Future of Governance event, host Kristy Hornby, Chair, Risk Community of Practice (CoP), IPAA Victoria, and Associate Director, Grosvenor, and guest speaker Peter Williams, Chief Edge Officer, Centre for the Edge, Deloitte Australia respond to some of the unanswered audience questions that were submitted during the event.

In this follow up podcast to the IPAA Victoria’s AI And The Future Of Governance event, host Josef Oduwo, Executive Program Director, Change & Transformation, Department of Health, and guest presenter Professor Eduard Hovy, Executive Director, Melbourne Connect, University of Melbourne, responds to some of the unanswered audience questions that were submitted during the event.

IPAA Victoria's Leadership in the Public Sector Awards celebrate and recognise exceptional projects delivered by teams and organisations. This podcast episode puts a spotlight on Cenitex, the Leading Employer Award winner, about their employee experience uplift projec and is a conversation between Frances Cawthra, CEO, Cenitex and Brigid Monagle, Commissioner, Victorian Public Sector Commission.