FAB SCOUTS PROGRAM

Mr WHETSTONE (Chaffey) (15:16): I would like to talk about the FaB Scouts program, which is a program out in regional areas to assist rural counsellors. The FaB Scouts are quality community people out there networking with people who are struggling mentally with the issues of day-to-day life.

Weather conditions have been well documented this year. The grape industry has had some serious issues with the weather, disease and rot, and the majority of the grape harvest has been rejected this year. There has been almost as much grape put on the ground as what has been processed this year.

In a sense, one would almost classify the weather events this year a natural disaster. With the increase of costs to try to keep disease out of the grapes, a large amount of grapes are being rejected, and growers are therefore receiving very little income. Just to give you a bit of an example, I have had many phone calls to my electorate office, and it is not uncommon for a grape grower to produce about 500 tonnes and deliver no fruit to the wineries this year.

Obviously it does not take a rocket scientist to work out that, with no income, the added pressure of having no support from either the FaB Scouts program or the rural counsellors program (both of which are being wound up on 30 June this year) is making people very fragile. They need that support.

Some of those serious concerns with mental health impacts are really starting to come to the front, particularly now that the vintage is over. My office is regularly getting phone calls from families and friends of people who have attempted suicide, people who have refused to get out of bed and people who have refused to go out and deal with the issues. The people of the FaB Scouts mentor program give their time. They are community people out there talking to their friends and neighbours, and to community people, as a stepping stone before rural counsellors come in to assist these people through some pretty rough times.

These well-meaning volunteers, with considerable social networks in the region, have undergone some form of formal training and, essentially, they are doing this from their hearts. They are not being paid. They are not out there with their nose in the trough looking for remuneration for every minute they are out there helping their community.

The FaB Scouts program is going to be wound up on 20 June 2011, as is the program for some of the rural counsellors in Chaffey, which will be wound up on 30 June 2011. It seems ironic that the partnership between the federal government and the state government cannot show some compassion, cannot show the support that is needed for these people to keep them on a wavelength so that they can get through these tough times and get on with their business.

It is often documented in the health system that people in the city go to the hospital, go to mental health facilities, and are assisted. Out in the country a lot of people are remote, and I guess are a little proud to go out and seek help. It is becoming more and more evident that these people need those FaB Scout mentors to come and listen to the issues that, particularly, the grape growers are dealing with. It is almost what you would call bad timing that the government would finalise or close these programs, particularly with a very trying testing year with the vintage that we have just gone through.

It is not just confined to the Riverland or to Chaffey, it is widespread across the state. In particular, the grape growing sector in the Riverland has been dealt a serious blow because of the particular weather events happening at particular times. I have been out there as a grape grower and to witness magnificent crops just slowly dripping off the vine is heartbreaking. So, I urge the minister to show some compassion and to consider reinstalling the FaB Scouts mentor program.