Senate debates

Wednesday, 25 November 2009

Suicide Prevention

4:17 pm

Photo of Rachel SiewertRachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | | Hansard source

I, and also on behalf of Senators Moore and Adams, move:

That the Senate—

(a)
notes that Sunday, 29 November 2009 is the inaugural R U OK? Day, a suicide prevention initiative that brings Australians together to help prevent the isolation that can play a part in someone considering, or taking, their own life;
(b)
acknowledges the need to inspire Australians to reach out to anyone struggling, to show that people care and are there to help;
(c)
is aware that suicide claims the lives of approximately 2 000 people each year and is the biggest killer of men and women 15 to 35 years old; and
(d)
recognises that a simple conversation could change a life and that the key thing someone can do is regularly ask the people we care about, ‘Are you OK?’, regardless of whether they are at risk or not, as that connection is good for all of us.

Question agreed to.