In its six years, the Winter Solstice gathering in Albury-Wodonga to support mental health action has generated some extraordinary moments.
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There has been actor Samuel Johnson talking about the impact of his mother's suicide, rugby league player Joe Williams telling of depression and musician Archie Roach singing of lifting spirits with his well-worn voice.
Their ability to transfix the crowd on the longest night of the year has been remarkable, but it is fair to say a speaker at this year's Winter Solstice on Friday week is likely to match, or even surpass, them.
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Rosie Batty entered the nation's consciousness in February 2014 as the mother of Luke, 11, who was killed by his father and her estranged partner.
The youngster was bashed and stabbed after cricket training, in front of onlookers.
Not withstanding her agony, Ms Batty immediately spoke out about domestic brutality and poignantly said "I want to tell people that family violence happens to [anybody], no matter how nice your house is, no matter how intelligent you are".
After that initial media conference, Ms Batty established the Luke Batty Foundation to raise funds to help victims of domestic violence and urge law reform and she was named Australian of the Year.
This week Ms Batty was appointed as an officer in the Order of Australia in the Queen's Birthday honours to mark her "distinguished service to the community".
Yet despite her grit, there are detractors.
One Nation NSW MP Mark Latham has regularly railed against her with spiteful comments and construction union boss John Setka reportedly told colleagues Ms Batty had taken away men's rights.
After initial silence on Mr Setka's barbs, ACTU secretary Sally McManus on Monday said his comments if correct "are appalling and totally unacceptable".
"They do not reflect our values or the work that unions do to campaign against family and domestic violence and should be immediately withdrawn and apologised for," Ms McManus said.
It is a welcome stance as Setka's views dishonour the union movement as a whole and degrade the great public service of Ms Batty who has borne pain that few could know.
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