“I’m not going to settle for sitting in front of the television on a disability support pension,” says mental health champion and Greens candidate for Farrer Richard Hendrie (pictured with his loyal assistance dog Havic). Photo: Supplied.
Richard Hendrie knows what it’s like to be invisible.
In the grip of his darkest periods of mental illness, he became non-verbal, hiding behind hoodies, sunglasses and noise-cancelling headphones.
At one stage, his condition became so severe he spent eight months in hospital.
“I was just a ghost of a human being,” he says.
So much so, the towering 198-cm Richard was actually referred to as “Casper The Friendly Ghost” during a stay on the psychiatric ward.
“I couldn’t stand to be touched or looked at,” he says.
The 40-year-old mental health advocate from Albury has a history of diagnosis and misdiagnosis for his complex mental health conditions spanning the better part of 20 years.
He has lived experience with dissociative identity disorder, depression, substance abuse and PTSD, the result of long-buried sexual abuse.
He has lived with disordered eating, his weight at times fluctuating between 68 kilograms and 160 kilograms.
He has known homelessness … and hopelessness.
And he has endured the full gamut of “care” delivered by mental health services and practitioners – from the good to the not-so-great to the downright malicious.
“I’ve been through the system; I know exactly what it’s like to be invisible and have decisions made for me,” Richard says.
Most of his 20s and 30s were lost to mental illness.
A lot of what Richard remembers during the worst of it is confusing, there are yawning gaps in his memory – “where I’ve blacked out the pain because it’s too painful to live with”.
“I’m grateful for my mum – she’s put up with a lot,” he reflects.
It’s in part because of those mourned lost years Richard resolved to get on with life: to share his experiences and to speak up for those who are unable to find their voices … yet.
Well, that and the fact a local psychiatrist told him he’d be on a disability pension for the rest of his life and that would be that.
On Thursday night Richard completed the final exam for his law degree ahead of Saturday’s federal election where he is standing as the Greens candidate for Farrer.
His is an incredible and hope-filled story of recovery and now advocacy; of a dogged determination not to let mental illness dictate what he can and can’t do.
Richard says he got lucky with a change of psychiatrist and credits psychedelic assisted therapies with “giving me life” – supported by his loyal assistance dog Havic.
“The last four years have been an incredible recovery journey and I want to show that,” he says.
“(I want to show) the people who have shown faith in me and put their own reputations on the line when a lot of others would have run a mile.”
Earlier this year, Richard was named the 2025 Albury Citizen of the Year, recognised as a person who has “transformed his personal challenges into impactful initiatives for his community”.
Now holding senior roles representing lived experience perspectives to state government and national boards, the local honour came on the back of being named Community Champion of the Year by the NSW Mental Health Commission in 2024.
Richard is also the founder of Talk on Tap – free monthly talks for rural and regional community members – where he shares his own difficult experiences and connects people with local mental health experts.
But he admits running for federal office is certainly a new and challenging experience.
“I’ve had a few crash and burns,” he laughs.
“But it’s very much around having dignity in taking risk.
“It’s about the fact I’ve seen both sides (of mental health) and the stigma attached. I think I have something worthy to say.
“It’s also a f— you to mental illness.
“I’m not going to settle for sitting in front of the television on a disability support pension.”
Richard’s vision is to see equity returned to health and education – along with respect and dignity.
“And like so many of us, I’m sick of the rhetoric and I’m sick of the token values and patterns of promises,” he says.
You only have to look at the NDIS as just one example of a system in shambles, he says.
“Out of 222 recommendations to come out of the Royal Commission (into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability) in 2023, only 13 have been implemented,” Richard says.
“And yet they still have the audacity to talk about choice and control!”
Richard believes issues relating to health, mental health and the cost of living crisis can not be treated in isolation.
“When it comes to the health system, for example, what’s the point of having access to 100 psychology sessions if you’re homeless and hungry?” he asks.
“We need to not treat these issues as silo issues – they are all hyperlinked.”
Richard is also adamant we need to “stop punishing the people who are going through the toughest times”.
“Our most vulnerable people are the first people punished and the last people considered – and that’s got to change,” he says.
“We need to support people to get out of survival mode.”
To that end Richard, who admits “I’m a bit of a lefty despite being a born and bred Henty boy”, wants to see the tax system overhauled.
He insists it’s too heavily reliant on income tax and doesn’t see “big business” paying their “fair share”.
“Stop ripping off low- and middle-income earners,” he declares.
Richard sees himself as a reluctant role model but he’s proud of the fact he’s done well “in spite of my mental illness”.
“I’d rather not have the lived experience to be doing this and I’ve exposed myself to a lot of discomfort,” he says.
“But I think I’ve changed the perception of what a Greens candidate looks like, especially out here.
“I’m not going to win but I’ll damn well make the issues I care about visible.”
If you or someone you know needs help, you can contact:
Lifeline’s 24-hour crisis support line – 13 11 14
Suicide Call Back Service – 1300 659 467
Kids Helpline – 1800 551 800 or kidshelpline.com.au
MensLine Australia – 1300 789 978.
