MATES in Construction

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (12:38): I move:

That this house notes—

(a) the exemplary work of MATES in Construction in its endeavour to prevent suicide in the construction industry and promote health and wellbeing;

(b) that MATES in Construction is a federation of independent industry-based MATES in Construction organisations throughout New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia and here in South Australia;

(c) that MATES in Construction aims to raise awareness about suicide, making it easier to access help and ensuring that the help offered throughout the industry is practical, professional and appropriate; and

(d) that MATES in Construction has implemented the following programs to address the tragic rate of suicide in the industry:

(i) an individual case management program which aims to assist troubled workers with an effective plan to address their mental issues;

(ii) field visits, which involve field officers going from site to site to advise workers of the program; and

(iii) a post-vention program, which provides support where a worker or worker's family member has committed suicide.

I would like to give an exceptional amount of credit to my colleague the Hon. John Dawkins MLC for introducing this motion into the state parliament in the other place. MATES in Construction is well known for its award-winning suicide awareness, prevention and post-vention programs offered to the construction industry across a great deal of Australia. They value themselves on being proactive and responsive, supportive and non-judgemental, committed and dependable, honest and respectful.

MATES in Construction was established to decrease the level of suicide and progress the mental health and wellbeing of construction workers. The organisation was first established in Queensland in 2008 and, since implemented in South Australia, the organisation has executed general awareness training to at least 8,248 persons, connector training to 445, assist training to 114 people and, through case management, assisted with 441 instances. I would also like to note that MATES in Construction has trained over 90,000 people nationally in their program.

All this training is provided fee free to construction companies and their workers on building sites. This training is both vital and unique, and it provides simple tools and support structures to help educate workers in the industry to assist their mates and colleagues before seeking advice from a professional. The training is vital to the industry, and I commend the organisation for all that they do.

I would like to note that suicide levels in the construction industry are up to two times higher than in other workforces, and workers have six times more chance of dying from suicide rather than through a workplace accident. It is also suggested that apprentices in the construction industry have a suicide rate 2.5 times higher in comparison to other young men in Australia. Along with their training, MATES also supply a national phone hotline for those experiencing suicidal thoughts or difficult mental situations. That support line can be accessed on 1300 642 111. I believe the perception of MATES in Construction throughout the industry is extremely supportive and positive.

Through watching the videos on the MATES in Construction website, I was made aware of a very confronting story which provided a true indication of how important the training provided by MATES in Construction is. The story involved a gentleman who seemed somewhat emotional at lunch one day. His co-workers noticed this behaviour and reported it to the safety and wellbeing adviser, who then took the initiative, began the conversation and spoke to the gentleman for three hours, where he admitted he was planning to suicide that very night. This adviser believes the training which they were provided through MATES was a significant contributor in somewhat saving this gentleman's life. Stories such as these provide a true representation of the significance and importance of these programs and training.

In relation to funding, MATES and the Building Employees Redundancy Trust are going to tackle the Kokoda Track. In 2015, the funds raised by those who conquered the 96-kilometre track were donated to MATES. Last year, $137,000 was raised. For 2016, the goal is to reach $150,000. I would like to inform the house that if you would like to register your interest in participating, you can complete this through the MATES in Construction website. It is my understanding that funds from the Australian government have also been provided to the organisation, which is truly fantastic to see.

A significant initiative which has come to light recently is the partnership with the AFL players' and coaches associations. MATES and the associations have instigated a project, also known as the STRIDE project, which is a digital campaign with the target audience being construction industries and AFL communities. The aim of the STRIDE project is to reduce the stigma we have around talking about matters which may be getting you down. It is important that we remember: conversations matter.

I have met with representatives from MATES in Construction, and we had great in-depth discussions regarding their involvement and future strategies for the industry. These conversations increased the appreciation I already had for the organisation, and I again need to commend MATES in Construction for all they do. When I last met with MATES in Construction, they talked about some of their counsellors working down through country South Australia, talking to farmers and rural people who obviously can get on the edge, just like construction industry workers. I was really pleased to hear about the work they were doing in that sector. MATES provides a great service to South Australia and beyond and has thousands of people involved within their organisation. My hope is that this motion will begin more conversations and enable MATES to receive even more support in the hope that some support be through funding from the state government.

In conclusion, I would like to acknowledge, along with the commendable work that the Hon. John Dawkins has done on this motion, the work that he does in relation to the whole suicide prevention network. Suicide prevention is extremely important and we need to ensure we continue to improve the systems we already have. In South Australia alone, in December 2015, suicide in the construction industry cost an estimated $57.36 million annually and $1.5 billion on a national basis, with an average of 169 construction workers losing their lives to suicide each year. Let's ensure we look after our mates and continue the conversation, because any life lost to suicide is one too many. I commend the motion.

Ms HILDYARD (Reynell) (12:45): I rise today to speak in support of the member for Hammond's motion and, in doing so, thank him for moving it and also thank him for his deep commitment to raising awareness about the tragedy of suicide and how we can work together to end it. As I have outlined in this house before, tragically one in five Australians now experience mental health issues at some point in their life; 4 per cent of Australians experience a major depressive episode in any 12-month period; 14 per cent of Australians are affected by an anxiety disorder in any 12-month period; 3 per cent of Australians are affected by psychotic illness such as schizophrenia; and mental illness is now one of the most prominent causes of disability in Australia.

Many Australian people and their families are touched by mental illness at some point and grapple with the emotional toll that this takes as family members take on caring responsibilities often for extended periods of time. They see loved ones struggle with the effects of illness and, often, the resultant withdrawal from family and community life. Tragically, many families in our community as a whole are deeply impacted by suicide and this motion speaks to this tragedy and, importantly, speaks to the important work that MATES in Construction does to raise awareness and make it easier for construction workers to access professional, compassionate and practical support and advice.

In particular today, we are focusing on the industrial aspect of suicide—industrial in the sense that we are focusing on what is possible to encourage construction workers to support one another at work and to seek help, with encouragement from workmates, when dealing with mental health issues. This workplace approach has been championed by both a union and an industry working in partnership through MATES in Construction. After having seen the devastating effects of suicide, this industry, through this organisation, has worked with successive governments to deliver innovative programs to save lives.

As the member for Hammond mentioned, every year 190 Australians working in the construction industry take their own lives. This means that we lose a construction worker every second day to suicide—overwhelmingly, men. Construction workers are six times more likely to die from suicide than from an accident at work, and our young workers are well over two times more likely to take their own lives than other young Australians. As MATES in Construction says on its website:

For workers in the construction industry, suicide seems to [sadly] be a part of the reality of working in the industry. Work within the industry is highly transient with most workers employed on a project by project basis, for periods from a few weeks, to at best a few years.

Other research has shown [us] that workers find it difficult to discuss feelings and emotions with colleagues at work and the nature of the work made social support more difficult.

It goes on to say that pride was identified by MATES in Construction as an issue, with many men saying they had a problem being seen as not manly by disclosing. These figures are horrifying. This mindset is deeply worrying and calls for ongoing action. The figures demonstrate the need for greater investment in training construction workers to recognise the signs of a co-worker being unwell and to develop the skills to encourage them to connect with support before it is too late.

The causes of suicide are numerous and complex, which makes prevention one of the most difficult challenges we face as a society. It is a testament to the member for Hammond and this house that we are focusing on this issue, an issue that remains not widely understood. MATES in Construction was established in 2008 to reduce that unacceptably high level of suicide among Australian construction workers. As their website also says, the MATES in Construction program is rightly:

…based on the simple idea that 'suicide is everybody's business' and that if the building and construction industry in Australia is to improve the mental health and wellbeing of workers and to reduce suicide then it cannot be left to the mental health professionals, but rather everyone in the industry—

And, indeed, in our community—

must play their part.

Today, I place on record my thanks and appreciation to MATES in Construction for the work they do and the manner in which they do it. I thank them for their deep understanding of the need for all of us to look out for one another, to provide support where we can and to do whatever we can as community leaders to raise awareness about suicide and the intervention and support programs available.

In September 2012, our South Australian government released 'The South Australian suicide prevention strategy 2012-2016: every life is worth living'. It calls for a whole-of-government, whole-of-community response to suicide. Many of the areas for action to prevent suicide are outside of the control of our health department alone. To see its incidence reduce, we must work together and MATES in Construction is an exemplar of how we can do this.

MATES in Construction is a highly valuable resource to the construction industry, everyone who works in it and our community as a whole. The emotional impact of a suicide on a construction site can be a catastrophic event, first and foremost in terms of the family and friends of individuals who take their own life, but also in terms of time lines blowing out and increased cost to the contractor and developer.

The value of MATES in Construction is extraordinary in many ways and I look forward to our house continuing its commitment to it. I look forward also to the ongoing federal government support for it. I also very much look forward to continuing the conversation and promoting that idea that we must continue the conversation wherever we can. In closing, I thank the member for Hammond for bringing this motion to the house.

The Hon. S.W. KEY (Ashford) (12:51): First of all, I commend the member for Hammond for bringing forward this motion and also endorse his recognition of the work and advocacy by the Hon. John Dawkins MLC. I would also like to acknowledge the work that has been done by the member for Taylor in this area because I know she has been following up on some of the recommendations that have been made by a number of organisations, including MATES in Construction, and that we have a government response that was mentioned by the member for Reynell. I think there has been a really important evolution that a number of people, both in the Legislative Council and this house, have played a role in making sure that the issue of suicide prevention is in our mind.

I had the opportunity to be involved in co-sponsoring a briefing session for MATES in Construction in this place and I think that we learnt a lot about the details of the model of MATES in Construction. I know that I was particularly impressed with the fact that there were different ways of noting that men in particular, particularly in the construction industry, are subject to thoughts of suicide and the different methods that were used to try to engage men in conversation, as well as supporting each other, that might be a bit different to, perhaps, what women may do.

It was also made clear that it is important to have those discussions and to provide support for each other and for the families and friends of people in the workplace. It was not necessarily, as we were told by the workers from that organisation, an easy thing to do, but, again, as things have evolved, people are starting to realise that there is nothing sissy about trying to support your fellow worker. There is nothing sissy about seeing someone in need and actually talking about it.

On the basis of this, I am very pleased that the issue of suicide prevention and mental health is one of the areas that we are looking at in the occupational safety, rehabilitation and compensation committee in parliament, and I thank again the Hon. John Dawkins for suggesting that this be a reference that we look at. What we have found, though, is that there are a number of people who have wanted to come and talk to our committee about their views on this very serious issue and also make about recommendations they think may be able to be taken up.

We are talking about the workplace, in particular. Of course, suicide and mental health issues are not just issues for the workplace. Certainly, family and friends and just generally surviving in the community are all issues that need to be taken on board, but I am very pleased to say that we have had a very big response to our inquiry and we are hoping to eventually come down with a report that we can bring back to the house. I know a number of people in this house and in the Legislative Council will be interested to hear of the fantastic submissions and witnesses that we have had looking, in a very positive way, at trying to prevent suicide, in particular, in the workplace.

I should also mention something that does not seem to get a lot of credit, and that is that this issue has been fairly and squarely on the agenda for the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) for many years. Prevention of suicide and mental health issues have been on their agenda, and SA Unions have also had this as a major health and safety and general welfare concern issue.

I particularly want to place on record my appreciation to the different unions that are covered under the building industry, in particular, but also the transport industry in the work they have done to try to change the image of this issue as being something men do not talk about, men do not deal with and men cannot cope with. I would particularly like to acknowledge not only their contribution but also that of all the partners under the MATES in Construction banner who work together to try to prevent the real problem we have with regard to suicide and mental health.

The Hon. L.A. VLAHOS (Taylor—Minister for Disabilities, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse) (12:56): I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the speakers who have shared their commitment to this cause today. I first became aware of MATES in Construction through a briefing the member for Ashford held at the Constitutional Museum in Old Parliament House. The work that is being done in suicide prevention across the state, across party lines, is a very good response to this issue.

Many families, in fact most of us, would have been touched by the tragedy of suicide. The work that MATES in Construction is doing in enlarging its scope across the state into regional areas is vastly important considering some of the challenges our regional towns are facing at the moment. That challenge also exists in the mining sector, given the isolation that some of those workers face in remote places working away from family and friends on a day-to-day basis. MATES in Construction is an incredibly important organisation that we all support. The suicide prevention networks are a community response to that, so I thank all the people who are working in this space across both chambers in this building because, as the minister, I know that together we are making a profound difference in the conversations that are happening in the community.

The Hon. A. PICCOLO (Light) (12:58): I would like to speak in support of this motion and thank the member for Hammond for bringing this matter to our attention. It is an appropriate motion, given that next week is Men's Health Week and most of these issues deal with men. I know there are women in construction, but predominantly it is men, and Men's Health Week is about promoting good health in men—not only physical health but mental health—and there are a number of activities occurring. MATES in Construction is just one of those programs out there designed to help with men's mental health. I was fortunate enough to go to one of their events, a breakfast meeting, and I would just like to say that I commend the program, and I commend the member for raising it.

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (12:59): I thank the members for Reynell, Ashford, Taylor, and Light, representing the government, for supporting this motion. I really do thank the government for their support on this motion. Suicide awareness is something that everyone has to manage day by day because, as the member for Taylor said, we are all touched by suicide. I commend the motion.

Motion carried.

Sitting suspended from 13:00 to 14:00.