Scott Harlum is living with HIV and served as Secretary/Treasurer of NAPWHA from 2015 until elected President in 2019. Scott calls the small town of Kyogle in the Northern Rivers region of Northern NSW home, where he lives on a small rural property.
Scott gained an early interest in health policy and administration, first managing inquiries into ‘deaths in custody’ in Queensland’s forensic mental health facilities, then as policy officer working closely with the Chief Health Officer of Queensland, and as a Legislative Policy Officer with the National Public Health Partnership.
Renal failure at age 27 began Scott’s experience with chronic illness, and his first stint dependant on haemodialysis. During that time, Scott’s professional focus shifted to the role of ‘consumers’ in health care. He held the position of manager of health policy for the Canberra-based Consumers’ Health Forum prior to receiving a transplant kidney in 2007. Following his transplant, Scott worked for several years as a news journalist with a daily regional newspaper, then with the NSW Farmer’s Association advising farmers on their land rights in relation to mining and coal seam gas, and then in marketing and public relations as a Brand Manager for a multi-national agricultural company.
Failure of his transplant after 10½ years again forced Scott out of work in 2017. Scott spends his ‘down time’ gardening, building his own home, and with his dogs.