Suicide Prevention

Ms PRATT (Frome) (16:30): I rise to speak on a topic that I believe is close to your heart, Mr Speaker, and, as I was recently appointed as the shadow minister for mental health and suicide prevention, I revel at any chance to bring attention to this space. South Aussies are very resilient, but our communities are facing increasing financial pressures while they are still recovering from the impacts of COVID-19, so I want to use this role of privilege that I have to support more people to access existing mental health services that are suitable for them where they need them and when they need them.

I take this opportunity in this house to raise attention to some fairly stark statistics in relation to suicide. Sadly, 8.6 Australians die every day by suicide—which is more than double the road toll—and 75 per cent of those who do take their own life are male. It is an unknown number of Australians who attempt suicide every year, with some estimates suggesting that this figure might even be over 65,000 per annum. Suicide is the leading cause of death for Australians between the ages of 15 to 44 and, tragically, the suicide rate in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is twice that of their non-Indigenous counterparts. As a country member of parliament, it saddens me that people in rural populations are two times more likely to take their own life by suicide, and I draw attention to these stark statistics to shine a light on the importance of attention and funding.

In my own electorate of Frome, there are so many people and programs to celebrate for their contribution to suicide prevention, and I always like to start with recognition of the Clare Lifeline Connect Centre and the fabulous work by Lorna Woodward, one of the lead social workers. She has been so successful with this model that she was able to double the capacity and FTE of this service in 12 months. It is an example of low-barrier entry, which I think is essential to bridge the gap for people who are looking for access to GPs or waiting for that clinical treatment, so the Clare Lifeline Connect Centre is a model that allows for no referral and no fee. I celebrate that investment, and the Minister for Health and Wellbeing knows full well that I want to see more of these rolled out across regional South Australia.

Ellie Hodges is another local hero. She is the co-founder of LELAN (Lived Experience Leadership and Advocacy Network)—someone whose contribution to alternatives to suicide is commendable and brave. Across South Australia, there are approximately 45 Suicide Prevention Networks (SPNs), and the community leaders who quietly work in the background participating in activities that support those who are suffering also get my commendation. Greg Boston is one of those people. In 2021, the Northern Areas Council created a new award for active citizenship to recognise the work that he does in the Jamestown area, and I thank him for his ongoing commitment to this area.

Council areas that encompass Jamestown and Clare Valley have sought to establish these SPNs. In my town of Clare, I am an inaugural member of the Trailblazers. Again, the work that goes on in the background by the members of this committee and this network are people I am really proud of. It is an SPN that links directly to the already existing Kade Macdonald Foundation. It is based in Clare with a focus on youth mental health and first aid. With $10,000 of funding from the Marshall Liberal government's Wellbeing SA agency, it has been able to induct and train fully accredited trainers in youth mental health and first aid.

Tied to the Kade Macdonald Foundation and the trailblazers sitting behind the scenes are my heroes, and they are student wellbeing coordinators who do fantastic work in schools, supporting young people to identify and feel safe in having conversations about things that may be upsetting them. I really want to give a shout-out to teachers and SSOs, pastoral care workers, chaplains and volunteers who play an essential role in helping young people to identify and recognise signs of mental distress.

I look forward to working in all local communities beyond Frome with organisations that exist in this space and to ensure that the Labor government continues to deliver on its commitment to invest in research and mental health services.