WA Mental Health Award Parliamentary Congratulations

Some moments settle differently in the body; this was one of them. Today I received a message from the Western Australian Association for Mental Health sharing that the Minister for Mental Health, the Hon Meredith Hammat, delivered a formal statement of congratulations in the WA Parliament recognising the winners of the 2025 WA Mental Health Awards.

Receiving words of acknowledgment in Parliament is not something I ever imagined when I first arrived in Australia in my late twenties, carrying grief, hope, and the quiet determination to rebuild a life from the ground up. The award itself (Lived Experience Impact and Inspiration) was already deeply personal. This parliamentary recognition adds another layer; a public honour that speaks to the value of lived experience, multicultural leadership, and the collective work of many people and communities striving for a system that treats people with dignity.

Minister Hammat’s statement acknowledged the contribution of all recipients and finalists across Western Australia. For those of us who work in mental health, whether in lived experience roles, frontline services, research, community spaces, or cultural settings, moments like this carry weight. They mark progress; a sign that lived experience and multicultural stories are no longer sitting at the margins. They are entering the rooms where decisions are made.

The recording of Minister Hammat’s statement can be viewed here:

https://www.parliament.wa.gov.au/watch/video/3ddc610cf7254eb587ada166a73c91ad?chapter=10

Behind every award are the people who make the work possible; families, communities, colleagues, mentors, clients, and the many allies who choose to listen rather than assume. LEXs began as a small gesture of hope after loss and has grown into a practice that supports individuals, organisations, and systems to move toward cultural humility and genuine care. Recognition like this reminds me that transformation is possible when we centre humanity, courage, and collaboration.

My thanks to the Minister, to the Western Australian Association for Mental Health, and to everyone who continues to believe in building mental-health systems that hold people gently and respectfully. The work continues.

LEXs is Michael Elwan's Perth-based practice, working online across Australia. Services include training and workshops, lived experience consultancy, Social Work Supervision, Lived Experience Leadership Supervision, Frontline Supervision, therapy and keynote speaking. Training and workshops can be commissioned for organisational leaders, practitioners and frontline teams, and carers, families and communities. Explore LEXs services.