Former Prime Minister Julia Gillard has joined the board of beyondblue.
Former prime minister Julia Gillard has joined the board of mental health organisation beyondblue.
Ms Gillard, who served as prime minister from 2010 to 2013, will attend her first beyondblue board meeting in February.
The chairman of beyondblue, former Victorian premier Jeff Kennett, said: “Julia Gillard will not only bring a great deal of experience to our board, but importantly the passion for the sector that drove her in government to establish the National Disability Scheme, which, if professionally and compassionately introduced, could be the most important social reform of the century.
“For many of those who suffer disability, and their carers, depression can be an ever present condition.
“Julia Gillard has always been a kindred soul of our work.
“So much of the success of beyondblue has been that it has received bi-partisan support from politicians and governments since its inception in 2000.
“Ms Gillard’s appointment only reinforces that bi-partisanship.”
Ms Gillard said: “As the daughter of a psychiatric nurse, I have always understood the need to talk openly about mental health and respond to those in need.
“In government, I was proud to extend services to help and treat young people battling depression and other conditions. Like Jeff, I believe the NDIS has great potential to assist those in our community who face the most profound mental health challenges.”
Since retiring from politics at the 2013 federal election, Ms Gillard has published a memoir, joined the Brookings Institution’s Center for Universal Education as a non-resident senior fellow and become chair of Global Partnership for Education.