Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement Inc. McCulloch House, Monash Medical Centre 246 Clayton Road, Clayton, Victoria 3168 Australia
Telephone +61 3 9265 2100 Freecall 1800 642 066 Facsimile +61 3 92654 2150 Email info@grief.org.au Web Address www.grief.org.au
AUSTRALIAN CENTRE FOR GRIEF AND BEREAVEMENT
Media Release – For Immediate Release December 3rd 2009
CHRISTINE NIXON TO TALK ON ‘THE MANY FACES OF
LOSS’
The 2009 Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement Grief Lecture will be delivered by
Christine Nixon on Monday, 7th December 2009 from 7:00pm at the State Library of Victoria
Theatrette.
Through her thirty-seven year career in policing, and her current role as Chair of the
Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Authority, Christine Nixon has come to
learn much about the impact of loss, and the many different guises that grief can take.
Christine's personal experiences have shaped her own understanding of grief. Her early
career includes her experience as a young police constable confronted with her first
homicide, to the significance of the establishment of the NSW Homicide Victims Support
Group. In her more recent career, as the Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police during a time
of cultural change around the importance of peer support and the recognition of trauma and
grief, to her current role supporting thousands of families in Victoria who have been
devastated by the fires of February 2009, Christine is in a strong position to talk about the
different faces of loss, and her own personal experience of how people deal with grief.
As Chair of the Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Authority, Christine Nixon
oversees the largest disaster recovery and rebuilding operation Victoria has ever
undertaken. Under Christine’s leadership, the Authority works with communities, businesses,
charities, local councils and other government departments to help people rebuild.
Christine’s priority is to help communities recover and rebuild in a way that is safe, timely,
efficient, cost effective and respectful of each community’s different needs. Prior to joining
the Authority, Christine was the Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police leading 14,000 staff,
who operate across more than 500 locations. She oversaw a budget of $1.7 billion.
Christine's lecture will focus on a number of key stories and experiences of loss and grief
throughout her career, and her reflections and lessons learned around these.
This event is free to members of the Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement; the cost
to non-members is $25.
The Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement is an independent, not for profit
organisation and is the largest provider of grief and bereavement education in Australia. Its
mission is to build the capacity of individuals, organisations and communities in order to
enhance well-being following adverse life events. The Centre is funded by the Victorian
Department of Health as the statewide specialist bereavement service.
Media Enquiries
Accredited media are invited to attend the lecture. To register your interest or obtain further
information please contact Danielle Ricato, Manager, Health Promotion and Education,
Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement on 043943-0172; email d.ricato@grief.org.au
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