Australia Post has appointed Simon Brown-Greaves as its first Chief Mental Health Officer, the first time a government business enterprise has taken such a step.

In his role, Mr Brown-Greaves will work closely with the leadership team to help prevent mental health issues.

Executive General Manager People and Culture Sue Davies said the appointment is in line with Australia Post’s shift in focus from illness management to illness prevention.

“We’re focused on educating and raising awareness of ways to recognise and minimise mental health issues with training for our people leaders and customer-facing teams to strengthen a culture of collegial care,” she said in a statement.

Mr Brown-Greaves is currently the CEO of consulting firm FBG Group and is a qualified psychologist with over 35 years’ experience as a senior executive and mental health advocacy.

Throughout his career, he has worked with a number of not-for-profits, including Beyond Blue, Cbus, Australian Bureau of Statistics and NSW Rural Fire Service.  

In addition to his role at Australia Post, he will also chair a Mental Health Council of external thought leaders to bring the latest trends and research to furth challenge the organisation.

Other mental health initiatives

Australia Post has been recognised at both the Comcare Awards and the National Safety Council Awards for its Early Matched Care at Australia Post (EMCAP) program which aims to prevent employees who have suffered a physical injury from developing psychological issues.

It has also partnered on mental health information delivery with Beyond Blue.

In 2020, former CEO of Australia Post Christine Holgate won a $1 million payout from the organisation as a termination payment following her departure from the organisation in the wake of the Cartier watches scandal, where four senior executives in the organisation were gifted $5,000 luxury watches.

Ms Holgagte had claimed she was unlawfully stood down and her treatment by the organisation had left her suicidal and on medication.