Julie McCrossin AM is joined by Joe Ball, Jude Munro AO and Paul van Reyk, with contributions by Aunty Vanessa in this insightful conversation about the issues, concerns and opportunities that directly affect the older LGBTQIA+ community. 

This podcast also comes with an article by Claire Allan which you can find on the Compass website along with a curated list of Resources and Service Providers. 

More about the moderator:

Julie McCrossin AM gets people talking. After over 20 years as a broadcaster with ABC Radio National, ABC TV and Network Ten, she is now a freelance journalist and broadcaster. Julie also facilitates conferences and seminars. Julie has qualifications in the arts, education and law. After treatment for stage four throat cancer in 2013, Julie is now an Ambassador for Head & Neck Cancer Australia (formerly BeyondFive), Targeting Cancer and TROG Cancer Research. Julie hosts the podcast series, The Thing About Cancer and The Thing About Advanced Cancer for Cancer Council NSW. Julie also hosts the new podcast series produced for patients and family members by Head & Neck Cancer Australia. In 2019, Julie was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia for significant service to the community, particularly through LGBTIQ advocacy roles and to the broadcast media.

More about the panellists:

Jude Munro AO was formerly CEO of Brisbane City Council from 2000 to 2010. This included managing a $2.6bn budget, tunnels and bridges, and more than 10,000 employees. Jude is an experienced Non-Executive Director and board chair. As a Co-Founder of Gay Liberation in Melbourne in 1972 as a 21-year-old, she then went on to more activism including publishing the Young, Gay and Proud publication. Jude participated in the 1978 Mardi Gras march.

Paul van Reyk is happy to admit to being 68 years old, a father to six children, a grandad to one child, shares his house and dogs with a straight female friend and has never used Grindr. He has been an LGBTIQ activist since 1980. Paul is also on the Inclusivity Working Group of the Seniors' Rights Centre.

Joe Ball is the ever passionate and committed CEO of Switchboard Victoria. Switchboard Victoria is a leading LGBTIQA+ community organisation based in Melbourne that provides peer-driven support services to LGBTIQA+ people, their families and their communities. Joe believes in grass roots solutions to systemic issues and draws upon LGBTIQA+ history and the wisdom of LGBTIQA+ elders to guide their work. Joe spent their youth and teenage years volunteering as an Australian Surf Lifesaver, these days they incorporate a range of sporting activities into their life for both health and happiness. Joe identifies as trans non-binary and uses the pronouns they/them.

A Noongar Sistergirl of the Kaneang people in Western Australia’s south west, Aunty Vanessa has been a LGBTIQ+ activist for more than 20 years. Aunty Vanessa has served as Chair for the Indigenous Committee and the Gay Men and Sistergirls Steering Committee for AFAO, helped set up the National LGBTI Health Alliance, Elder Representative for TEKWABI GIZ (Mindout’s Indigenous Advisory Committee for the National LGBTI Health Alliance), on the board of Derbarl Yerrigan Aboriginal Medical Service, and working with Campaign Against Moral Persecution (CAMP) and Gay and Lesbian Equality (GALE) in the 80s & 90s.

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