Women’s Health in the South East (WHISE) is thrilled to hear the Victorian Government's announcement of Joe Ball as the new Commissioner for LGBTIQA+ Communities. Joe Ball, a proud transgender man and a tireless advocate for equality, steps into this pivotal role at a critical time for LGBTIQA+ communities across the state.
Kit McMahon, CEO of WHISE, stated, “Joe Ball’s appointment is a powerful move for equality and justice in Victoria. Joe’s relentless dedication to mental health, family violence prevention, and suicide prevention makes him the ideal leader for this role. His leadership will undoubtedly advance the rights and wellbeing of LGBTIQA+ Victorians.”
McMahon continued, “This appointment by the Victorian Government signals a deep commitment to fostering safe and inclusive communities. We look forward to seeing the transformative impact of Joe’s work as Commissioner.”
Joe Ball’s extensive background includes serving as the CEO of Switchboard, where he led the creation of Rainbow Door, a helpline dedicated to LGBTIQA+ mental health and family violence, and CHARLEE, a suicide prevention hub. His experience positions him to lead efforts to implement Victoria’s "Pride in our Future: LGBTIQA+ Strategy 2022-2032," ensuring all Victorians feel safe, respected, and free to live authentically.
Victoria continues to lead the nation in LGBTIQA+ inclusivity, with recent budget allocations of $22 million over four years to support key initiatives, including expanding Rainbow Tick accreditation and supporting LGBTIQA+ organisations and events.
ENDS
Key Facts:
New Commissioner For LGBTIQA+ Communities Appointed | Premier
About us:
Kit McMahon, CEO Women’s Health in the South East, is available for comment.
WHISE is a leading health promotion and primary prevention organisation dedicated to improving women's health and wellbeing in Melbourne's Southern Metropolitan Region, providing health information, education and advocacy to women and health professionals.
Ms McMahon has over 20 years of leadership experience across workforce development, skills policy and practice, capacity and capability building, and evaluation and impact frameworks.
She is passionate about promoting gender equality, health equity, and social justice for women, especially those who are significantly disadvantaged.
Kit has established and led diverse partnerships with service providers, government agencies, community groups, and corporate sponsors to achieve sustainable change and positive outcomes for women's health and wellbeing. She is also an experienced non-executive director and co-chair of two other organizations that support women in trades and survivors of violence and holds an MBA from Macquarie Graduate School of Management and a Company Directors Course from the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Contact details:
Doseda Hetherington
Communications Lead
Women's Health in the South East
Mobile: 0412 317 334
