Australian of the Year

Ivan Lister is an experienced rural outreach worker who helps families and communities in regional Victoria face the challenges of living on the land. 

Ivan has been an outreach worker for more than two decades – both paid and as a volunteer – talking to farmers, families and the community about mental health issues. 

Farmers are often reluctant to ask for help to address mental health concerns and will put off engaging with professional or medical services. Instead, Ivan connects with them informally, over the kitchen table or in the stockyards, holding conversations and building trust. He is well-known throughout rural Victoria as someone to turn to in a crisis such as during times of drought, bushfires and floods. 

Ivan’s strong commitment to his community has helped many people when they had no one else to turn to; his compassion and understanding providing a means for people to talk about mental health.