Sharon Claydon (Newcastle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I second the motion, and I thank the member for Reid for bringing the motion before the House today. It's very fitting that last Thursday was World Mental Health Day and that the theme was 'working together to prevent suicide'. There's not a single community that hasn't been impacted by suicide. Indeed, there are precious few Australians who don't have direct personal experience of someone close to them taking their own lives. One life lost to suicide is one too many. But the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics numbers show that 3,046 intentional self-harm deaths occurred last year in 2018. Suicide is now the 14th highest cause of death in Australia. As shocking as these figures are, they don't come close to describing the enormity of the crisis facing our country. For every death by suicide, as many as 30 more people attempt to end their lives. There are too many people in profound pain.

We also need to recognise that there are some groups of people who are overrepresented in mental health statistics including suicide rates. Three-quarters of deaths by suicide are men and the rate of male suicide is growing. Men in regional and remote communities are particularly vulnerable, especially where there is a lack of service and support to help them through those challenges. But, even where the services are available, men are less likely to reach out for help. In fact, roughly one man engages with a mental health service when they need it for every three women who do.

Young people are another vulnerable group who are overrepresented in the suicide statistics. Tragically, it is the leading cause of death for people aged 15 to 24. I welcome the government's commitment to establish new headspace centres. The waiting times that young people are facing to access headspace's services are way too long. The government must now deliver on its important commitment as a matter of urgency.

Our First Nations communities are another deeply vulnerable community disproportionately impacted by suicide. In fact, the death rate from suicide for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is double the national rate. Almost half of Australia's child suicides have been First Nations children. This is an unspeakable tragedy that rests on all our shoulders. We have failed to protect these precious children. We need to work on finding solutions in partnerships with communities and increase our investment in Aboriginal-led mental health services.

More broadly, the government also needs to act on the recommendations of the National Mental Health Commission's 2019 report on mental health and suicide prevention. This includes the collection of high-quality data on high-risk community groups including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples; undertaking a national mental health services gaps analysis; implementing a national mental health workforce strategy; and addressing the broader social and economic factors contributing to mental ill health and suicide.

I'd like to commend the government for creating a new role of National Suicide Prevention Adviser to the Prime Minister, which is ably filled by Christine Morgan, CEO of the National Mental Health Commission. Ms Morgan is supported by Jaelea Skehan, herself an internationally respected expert in the field. Jaelea was formerly the director of Everymind, a mental health and suicide prevention organisation in my electorate of Newcastle. I have known Jaelea and her extraordinary work for many years now. She is a compassionate and fiercely committed champion for mental health and suicide prevention. I know she will be an asset, helping the government to work towards its very worthy goal of reducing suicide to zero.

I'd also like to recognise all the incredible community organisations who work on the front line every day providing support and assistance to people when they need it most. Of course, this includes mental health services and those directly focused on suicide reduction, but it's also the women's shelters, the financial counsellors, the community legal centres, the drug and alcohol services, the domestic violence support programs and so many more that are fulfilling the vital role of supporting people when problems seem too much to bear. But, sadly, while more and more people are struggling to keep their heads above water, our community sector has been stretched to breaking point. We need to recognise that, without a strong and properly funded community sector, we simply won't be able to turn this crisis around. I urge the government to invest properly in frontline services that will be absolutely critical to addressing the crisis.

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