Associate Professor Tracey Varker - Special Edition No. 5 for the Frontline Mental Health Conference 2026.
Presentation: Responder Assist: A Specialised Mental Health Service for Emergency Services Workers (1405hr 3 March 2026)

WARNING: This Episode discusses mental health themes.

This the fifth episode in a short special edition series where we hear from presenters of at the Frontline Mental Health Conference 2-3 March 2026 ( details here: https://anzmh.asn.au/fmhc )

Associate Professor Tracey Varker is a Director of Research at Phoenix Australia – Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health, and an Associate Professor with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne. She leads a program of work focused on improving mental health outcomes for those who are at high-risk of encountering trauma or stress through their occupation. A/Prof Varker leads the Research function of Responder Assist, a Victorian support service for emergency services workers. She has published 70 research articles in posttraumatic mental health, and more than 70 reports for government and industry.

Find out more about the work Tracey and the team do:
https://www.phoenixaustralia.org/

More on Responder Assist:
https://www.phoenixaustralia.org/responder-assist/

A paper on the SOLAR research and smartphone app with firefighters:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41746-025-02092-1

Rev. Dr Mark Layson - Special Edition 4 for the Frontline Mental Health Conference 2026.
Presentation: Preventing Organisational Betrayal and Moral Injury: Mitigating Psychosocial Risks of Organisational Injustice Through Just Cultures. (1100hrs 2 March 2026)

WARNING: This Episode discusses mental health themes.

This the fourth episode in a short special edition series where we hear from presenters of at the Frontline Mental Health Conference 2-3 March 2026 ( details here: https://anzmh.asn.au/fmhc )

Mark is an interdisciplinary researcher and emergency manager who researches at the intersection of moral injury, trauma exposure, and psychosocial risk mitigation. He has developed leadership, organisational culture, and holistic staff support interventions to address the impacts of organisational betrayal. Alongside his research, since 1991 Mark has worked as a police officer, firefighter, ambulance chaplain, emergency manager, and consultant to emergency agencies across Australia. He facilitates training in research to practice models of leadership and organisational strategies for high risk organisations. He utilises biopsychosocial-spiritual framework to prevent moral injury, mitigate psychosocial risks, and provide pastoral care in disaster settings.

Mark's book: Unexpected Poison - Betrayal and Moral Injury in your workplace will be available 26 March 2026:
https://www.routledge.com/Unexpected-Poison-Betrayal-and-Moral-Injury-in-Your-Workplace/Layson/p/book/9781032803067

Research papers referred to in this episode on Mark's presentation topic:
The longer technical report is at: https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/resource-library/whs-research/development-of-a-bpss-framework-for-preventing-stress-in-first-responders.pdf

A shorter (12 page) report is at: https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/resource-library/whs-research/preventing-harms-in-first-responder-communities-industry-summary.pdf

Matt Newlands - Special Edition 3 for the Frontline Mental Health Conference 2026.
Presentation title: Stress, Resilience & Functioning: Building mental fitness across Frontline communities.

WARNING: This Episode discusses mental health themes.

This the third episode in a short special edition series where we hear from presenters of at the Frontline Mental Health Conference 2-3 March 2026 ( details here: https://anzmh.asn.au/fmhc )

Matt Newlands is a mental health advocate and consultant drawing on over a decade of frontline policing experience with SA Police. Having navigated his own service-related mental health challenges, Matt brings unique insight and authenticity to his work. He has since dedicated his career to supporting Military personnel, First Responders, and frontline professionals in building resilience, recovery, and wellbeing. Through education, counselling, and tailored programs, Matt helps individuals and organisations create healthier, more sustainable cultures. His lived experience, combined with professional expertise, makes him a trusted voice in advancing conversations around mental health and operational readiness.

James Maskey - Special Edition 2 for the Frontline Mental Health Conference 2026.

WARNING: This Episode discusses suicide and mental health themes.

This the second episode in a short special edition series where we hear from presenters of at the Frontline Mental Health Conference 2-3 March 2026 ( details here: https://anzmh.asn.au/fmhc )

James is driven to build a mental health system that is accessible, compassionate, and grounded in community. His lived experience as a former police officer living with PTSD shapes his commitment to timely, rights-based psychosocial support.

As CEO of the Mental Illness Fellowship of Australia (MIFA), James leads with a focus on culture, collaboration, and lasting impact. For nearly 40 years, MIFA has united a national federation of service delivery organisations, supporting people with high needs mental health challenges, their families, carers and kin. Alongside its core advocacy and policy reform work, MIFA auspices national initiatives such as ‘Psychosis Australia’, ‘Finding North’, and ‘Out from the Mist’, shaping practice, supporting recovery, and strengthening the sector. In this role, James is advancing a more community-centred approach to mental health with government, reducing reliance on medicalised models of care and elevating the role of organisations walking alongside people every day.

James’ career spans senior roles in the Queensland Government and leading mental health organisations, including the Queensland Alliance for Mental Health, Fortem Australia, and Beyond Blue.

He continues to elevate community voices, strengthen the MIFA federation, and collaborate across the sector to advocate for the reforms needed to create a mental health system that genuinely supports the people it is designed to serve.

Dr Tara Lal AFSM - Special Edition 1 for the Frontline Mental Health Conference 2026.

WARNING: This Episode discusses suicide and mental health themes.

This the first episode in a short special edition series where we hear from presenters of at the Frontline Mental Health Conference 2-3 March 2026 ( details here: https://anzmh.asn.au/fmhc )

Tara is an applied researcher, former firefighter, and internationally published author. She is deeply passionate about the need to embed the voice of lived experience into translational research to tackle the complex challenges of mental health, trauma, and suicide prevention. Her unique perspective as a frontline firefighter, who has journeyed through her own experiences of trauma, combined with a diverse academic and professional background, fuels her advocacy for meaningful change in the emergency services mental health and wellbeing sector. She is a born collaborator focussing on solutions that drive impactful change at individual, organisational, and community levels. Tara also holds an adjunct senior lecturer position at the University of New England and has been recognised with multiple awards for her contributions. As conference co-chair, she brings warmth, authenticity, a touch of humour and a strong commitment to fostering a supportive and inclusive environment for everyone.

Officer B had his life changed in 12 seconds during a terrorist attack in the Melbourne Suburb of Endeavour Hills on 23rd September 2014 when he and his partner were stabbed during a routine day at the office. Attached to the Joint Counter-Terrorism Team - Melbourne Office, while meeting with Numan Haider, an 18 year old on an ASIO watch-list, a knife was produced and Officers A and B were both stabbed before the offender was shot and killed. An event that Officer B reflects on constructively during this episode.

Officer B started out in the Royal Australian Air Force as a photographer, before joining the ranks of Victoria Police. Utilising his photography skills, he moved into the world of forensic investigations, attending some of the most gruesome killings during the Victorian Gangland wars before making a transition to intelligence roles. This evolved into the world of Counter-Terrorism investigations, which saw him transition from VicPol to the Australian Federal Police, working out of the Melbourne Joint Counter-Terrorism Team with his former VicPol colleagues. Read about the 2014 incident on Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_Endeavour_Hills_stabbings. Officer B has been subject of an identity suppression order resulting from his involvement in this terrorist attack and its associated investigations.

In this amazing story of diversity, dedication to duty and survival, Officer B discusses the personal growth he has gained from enduring this critical, life changing event along with his new mission of promoting mental health awareness and acting with empathy.

Officer B is on:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/officer-b-speaks-348250272
Web: officerbspeaks.com
Instagram: @officerbspeaks
Email: officerbspeaks@gmail.com

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** The Hot Debrief Podcast contains discussions on sensitive topics, including emergency events, mental health issues, suicide, and violence. Listener discretion is advised. Some content may be distressing or triggering for certain individuals. We encourage listeners to prioritise their own well-being. **
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The Hot Debrief Podcast is proudly supported by the legends at 3Zeros Coffee. Use our exclusive discount code [ hotdebrief ] when ordering for 10% off!

EP25 - The Final H2H Walk Podcast: Life after the walk with Billy, Bats, Greg and Matt.

The podcast wrap-up. We've been back for a while, and a few walkers have had a chat!

I'll say sorry up front for the delay in doing this podcast. Even after getting it recorded, it has taken a while to edit it for the platform.
To be honest, I've not been going too well for a long time since we got home and sometimes things are just a bit harder than they should be. I'll talk about that when I'm ready, but let's just get on with it hey!

In this episode we talk openly about what it's like to walk over 2600km, the highs and lows and if it was worth it. Everyone had a common purpose on the walk through the objectives of the Heart 2 Heart Walk, but most of us had our own journey too.

It gets deep. All the way to Greg (yes of course it was Greg) going back to the Emergency Services Memorial in Canberra, looking at the 26 words that sum up the virtues of Emergency Service Workers. On reflection, he talks about 4 of them, and how they related to the walk: Community, Hope, Resilience and Spirit. We were invested in all of these during the walk, and getting to see these virtues first hand on the walk really took us to the purpose of the walk. Making sure we can maintain our capabilities in Australia, and looking after those who serve the country.

Sadly, one of the main focusses of the walk was the unacceptable rate of suicide in First Responders both serving and veteran. There were 5 serving member suicides during the walk, and one soon after we finished that we heard about. Sadly, there were probably more that we didn't know about, and remember we do not have a way of tracking suicides of former first responders in Australia - so that figure is unknown. It really hit us hard on the walk, but was certainly motivation to keep pushing on.

To quote our Ambassador Allan Sparkes CV OAM VA:
"It's not about the walk, it is about the building of the path for others to follow. You have laid the foundations with your blood sweat and tears that now joins the blood sweat and tears in the Earth of those who are fallen before you and who will be forever grateful for caring about them in the way you have “

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Listener discretion is advised; some episodes raise issues regarding mental health, suicide and other matters that might not be suitable for all listeners.

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Get it now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and others: https://linktr.ee/h2hwalk

Sergeant Greg Corin APM - Australian Federal Police 36 years. Such a diverse career from General Duties Policing, Specialist Response Group (SRG) - Discreet Operations Team through to Team Leader, Close Personal Protection team for the Governor-General and Prime Minister.

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Listener discretion is advised; this episode raises issues such as child abuse, suicide and other emotive issues that might not be suitable for all listeners.

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In this Hot Debrief episode, Matt talks to Sgt Greg Corin APM during the Heart 2 Heart Walk. Greg has led an amazing career within the Australian Federal Police (AFP) since commencing in 1987 currently in his 36th year of service that has taken him all around the world. A service that has taken a huge toll on both him and his family with a level of resilience that you need to hear to believe.

Greg has specialised in various operational roles including Tactical Operations within the Specialist Response Group, Surveillance Operations, Close Personal Protection, Witness Protection, Police Rescue and even Water Police. This unique array of capabilities has seen Greg also an operational member of the ‘Discreet Operations Team’ - conducting both domestic and international operations.

If hunting Columbian Drug importers in remote parts of Australia’s west coast sounds intense, you need to hear the stories of being held at gunpoint during UN operations in East Timor, surviving a massive Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED) attack just 300 metres away in Afghanistan and being shot at by Russian separatists while deployed to Ukraine soon after the downing of flight MH17. Greg’s role as a Ceremonial and Protocol Officer saw him involved in the ramp ceremonies for the repatriation of 24 Australians killed in the crash on his return.

It is quite hard to believe that this high risk, high tempo diverse service was given despite personal adversities that you need to hear to believe.

This episode goes for over 2 hours, and only scratches the surface of this spectacular career, and so much of it he is not able to reveal due to the extreme sensitivity of the operations he has been involved in. So hard to believe we have the privilege of walking along side this amazing Australian First Responder during the Heart 2 Heart Walk. Thank you Greg for sharing this powerful story.

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Get it now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and others: https://linktr.ee/h2hwalk