Somerville boss Lawson Broad moves on after seven years

A high-profile chief executive is exiting his prominent role after seven years, leaving behind a legacy of change. Read who it is.

Northern Territory community services organisation Somerville is looking for a new chief executive after long-time leader Lawson Broad quit the role after seven years.

Advertisements for Mr Broad’s replacement were set to go public on Monday, with the long-time Territorian poised to leave the post in November for a new role in Sydney.

Mr Broad took on the high-profile community services job in November 2017, replacing Vicki O’Halloran, who was appointed NT Administrator after 20 years with Somerville.

He came to the role after working in government, not-for-profits and the private sector, including as managing director of Broad Transport Solutions based in Adelaide.

Chief executive Lawson Broad is leaving Somerville Community Services.

He was a senior policy adviser in both opposition and government and was director of land and economic development with the NT Government and executive director of housing supply with Territory Families, Housing and Communities.

He was briefly president of the Country Liberal Party, quitting the role because of the party’s opposition to the Voice referendum.

In 2021 under Mr Broad’s leadership, Somerville changed its operational model from providing housing, homelessness and financial counselling services to focusing on provision of disability services, especially supported living.

This resulted in residential housing projects for people with disabilities in Palmerston and Katherine that set a new benchmark for disability support accommodation in the Northern Territory.

Lawson Broad at the HIA industry award in Cairns.

The seven new Troppo Architecture-designed specialty care homes not only provided 24-hour around-the-clock care for residents, but also won peer recognition for builder M&J Constructions.

The five Katherine and two Palmerston homes won HIA’s 2024 Australian Specialised Housing award, with judges saying the developments “created a benchmark in the standard of care”.

The $8m development contained bespoke design features including extra-wide halls, large bathrooms and adjustable bench tops. Mr Broad said the projects replaced 40-year-old homes that were adapted rather than designed for disability care.

One of M+J Builders’ award winning homes.

“So much of our built environment is simply not designed for people with a physical disability,” he said at the time.

“It’s rarely thought of as a consideration from something as basic as having doorways and hallways that are wide enough to roll a wheelchair through, to having even surfaces that don’t cause an obstruction to wheelchair travel.

“We’ve provided those services largely in homes provided by the NT government through Territory Housing, but they’re now 40-year-old homes and were never constructed to any kind of disability standard and were modified over the years.”

Mr Broad said Somerville was an “incredible organisation” that was a privilege to lead.

“It has established itself over many years as the leading provider of disability services in the Northern Territory as a result of the commitment and passion of more than 450 employees who are dedicated to what they do,” he said.

“I think it’s probably the best job in the Northern Territory and an outstanding opportunity to make a difference.”

Recruiters said Mr Broad’s replacement was expected to begin work early next year.

Mr Broad will take up an appointment with a community service provider in Sydney.

Originally published as Somerville boss Lawson Broad moves on after seven years