Fiona Martin (Reid, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'd like to acknowledge the wonderful year 12 students in my electorate of Reid, who have just completed trials and will soon be undertaking their Higher School Certificate. Completing final school exams is a very stressful time for our young people, and this year, more so than ever, it's been particularly stressful because of coronavirus. There have been disruptions to classes and routines. There has been home schooling and family breakdown, and parents have lost jobs. All sorts of difficult situations at home have made it particularly difficult, and of course students have been missing key milestones, like graduation ceremonies and formals. I understand this is very disappointing to the class of 2020. However, I do hope that these unprecedented circumstances caused by the coronavirus have made the class of 2020 more resilient and closer together.

As an educational and developmental psychologist, I am passionate about the wellbeing of young people and their mental health. I worked for many years helping young people and families deal with everyday problems, but I've also treated young people with common mental health problems like anxiety and depression. It's a tragic statistic that suicide remains a leading cause of death among people aged 15 to 24. In the last year, we've seen a number of young people from Sydney's schools take their own lives. Most recently, Claudia Neale, an 18-year-old from Sydney in her final year of school, took her own life, and her parents, Fiona and Matt Neale, bravely shared her story in the hope other parents are aware of the importance of having ongoing conversations with their daughters or sons. Professor Ian Hickie, Director of the Brain and Mind Centre at the University of Sydney, talks about mental wealth, the economics of prevention and early intervention in mental health.

I am very proud to be part of the Morrison government—a government that puts mental health front and centre. The Morrison government has directed over $500 million since the start of this year to expand resources and prevention strategies for young people of vulnerable mental health. We've strengthened the headspace network and, in June this year, the government directed a further $24.2 million to headspace to reduce wait times and ensure that young people are getting appointments when they need them. We want to encourage young people to seek the support when they need it. Right now, many school leavers will be considering their options for the future. It is a difficult time, but we must remember that there's always hope. They should be focusing on growth sectors, like construction, science, technology, psychology, health care and education. There are many exciting opportunities ahead for students preparing for further study and training, and I feel confident that they will find their way.