Dan Repacholi (Hunter, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Too many Australians are dying in silence, and we need to be honest about the scale of this crisis. Every day, seven men take their own lives. Every year, more than 2½ thousand families get that knock on the door that changes their world forever. This isn't just a statistic; it's a national emergency. Today, on the lawns of Parliament House, that reality was laid bare: 2,550 empty shoes were lined up on the grass, each shoe representing a man or a boy we lost in just one year—no names, no faces, just silence, a silence that speaks louder than any speech delivered in this place.

The Zerosuicide community awareness program, alongside Dads4Kids, brought together community advocates, frontline workers, lived experience speakers and parliamentarians across two days to confront this crisis head on. Through remembrance walks, ribbon tying and deeply personal stories, they remind us that suicide is not inevitable, but preventing it takes all of us. Zerosuicide's messages are simple but powerful: connections save lives, early support saves lives, and a system that refuses to let people fall through the cracks saves lives.

I want to especially acknowledge Paul Withall and his incredible team for their leadership and the tireless work that they do. Your courage in bringing these stories, these shoes and this message to the nation ensures that the men we lost are not forgotten and that those still struggling are not left behind. Thank you very much, Paulo, for what you do. Keep up the great work.

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