Senate debates

Thursday, 13 September 2012

Motions

R U OK? Day

11:58 am

Photo of Concetta Fierravanti-WellsConcetta Fierravanti-Wells (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Ageing) Share this | | Hansard source

I, and also on behalf of Senator Wright, move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that Thursday, 13 September 2012 is R U OK? Day;

(b) recognises that:

(i) today, six Australians will die through suicide and more than 200 will make a suicide attempt,

(ii) one in four deaths among young people occur through suicide,

(iii) suicide is the leading cause of death for 15 to 24 year olds each year at 23.3 per cent,

(iv) suicide is the biggest killer of men under 44 and women under 34, and

(v) suicide currently ranks 15th in the overall causes of death in Australia;

(c) encourages people of all backgrounds to regularly check in with each other and ask the question, ‘Are you ok?’, because a conversation could change a life; and

(d) calls on the Government to increase efforts to raise awareness about the problems and complexity of suicide, especially among our young Australians.

Question agreed to.