Matters of Interest

Mates in Construction

The Hon. T.T. NGO (15:23): Attending this year's MATES in Construction SA charity lunch has given me cause to reflect on why we need to be so passionate about suicide prevention and support for those bereaved. I would like to start with some confronting truths:

almost one in two Australian adults will experience mental illness in their life;

one in five Australian workers have taken time off in the past year because they felt mentally unwell;

it is estimated that 19,000 working weeks are lost every year in South Australia due to mental health related compensation claims; and

construction workers are six times more likely to die from suicide than a workplace accident.

Put simply, mental health and suicide prevention is everyone's business. The MATES in Construction program is based on the idea that everyone in the building and construction industry has a part to play in improving the mental health and wellbeing of workers and to reduce suicide. Since MATES in Construction was established in 2008, every person involved has worked tirelessly towards furthering suicide prevention in the construction industry.

My understanding is that there are over 120,000 people currently trained in the program, with over 6,000 cases managed thus far. I congratulate MATES in Construction on the outstanding work they do. It is fitting that the word 'mates' is in the name of the program, as it is about mates looking after mates. Having someone reach out during difficult times can make a world of difference. Helen Keller recognised the value of this, saying, 'I would rather walk with a friend in the dark than walk alone in the light.'

Suicide prevention continues to be a high priority area for all—for all areas of government, the non-government sector, private enterprise and the general public. The South Australian Suicide Prevention Plan 2017-21 was recently released and has three important priority areas:

making people a priority;

empowering communities; and

translating evidence into practice.

The state government recognises that suicide is complex and the solutions are not found in one government department. It requires a whole-of-community and whole-of-government response.

SA Health supports the Office of the Chief Psychiatrist to facilitate an implementation of this plan across communities, local councils, government services and partner agencies. Evidence shows that personal attitudes towards suicide behaviours can either help or hinder someone's likeliness to get help or give help. We must work together to debunk the myth surrounding suicide, and change the way we think and communicate about its prevention.

MATES in Construction SA has been, and continues to be, a strong partner agency. Recent studies have shown that regional and remote areas can be particularly impacted by suicide. Our suicide rates tend to rise with increasing reality. In June 2016, the South Australian government committed to a number of strategies to assist the Whyalla community. From the health portfolio a further $150,000 was committed to the development of an industry base, while being a support program run by MATES in Construction SA in the mining, steel and associated industries in Whyalla.

The peer-based program gives workers the skills and knowledge to look out for one another and to provide early intervention support for mates who are at risk of suicide. Field officers have provided training, held on-site visits and connected workers in need of support to a case manager. The expertise that MATES in Construction SA brings to steel industry workers will be invaluable to their resilience and that of their families into the future. I thank MATES in Construction for taking up this challenge, and I also thank the hundreds of people who came along and supported the lunch. I look forward to hearing of its continued success and growth in supporting South Australians.