Mental Health Support for Farmers

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS (14:46): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before addressing a question to the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development on the topic of mental health supports for farming communities.

Leave granted.

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS: In a study that focused on data from the period 2009 to 2018, the average suicide rate in farmers was almost 59 per cent higher than non-farmers. This rate increased to 94 per cent higher than non-farmers in 2018 when the country was gripped by drought. While recent announcements of financial supports and the announcement of a commissioner are welcome for those facing drought, we cannot underestimate, despite the importance of financial support, that mental health supports are also something that farmers have been crying out for.

I am given to understand that advocates have been in contact with Minister Scriven's office on more than one occasion, asking for the contact numbers of support services such as Lifeline, Beyond Blue and Suicide Call Back Service, to be placed front and centre on websites such as the PIRSA website. These are commonly used by farmers and it would be a very small cost to place a banner front and centre on the PIRSA website so that those people who are not actively seeking support may be prompted to do so, with the barrier of knowing about these services having been removed. It would be a tiny, almost insignificant action in terms of cost, but one which would be quite profound for those lives it may change.

Destigmatisation is a really important tool in combating and ensuring good mental health, and particularly for those people who do need help to be able to seek that help sooner and before the need becomes more acute. My question to the minister is: will her department place mental health supports on the current PIRSA website with regard to a potential mental health crisis that is currently facing us?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (14:48): I thank the honourable member for her question. Mental health is absolutely a significant concern in regional communities, particularly the drought-affected communities across the state, and of particular concern to the Malinauskas government. As a regional resident, I am certainly very aware of the implications not only for an individual who dies through suicide and their family and friends but their entire communities. I know as a regional person myself that, even if you don't know the person directly, chances are you know their extended family or community in a very direct way.

I appreciate the honourable member talking about the importance of this in the context of drought, and destigmatisation is absolutely an important point to make. I am not aware of the issue that she has mentioned being raised. It certainly hasn't been raised in any of the many forums that I have been part of, but I am happy to follow that up.

In terms of mental health more generally within the package, we have a significant commitment to drought mental health. We are supporting individuals and communities through the delivery of mental health awareness support; community-based activities to improve social connection, which is important, and to reduce isolation; counselling to respond to mental health needs; and culturally safe services for Aboriginal communities, newly arrived migrants and seasonal workers as well.

Representatives from SA Health continue to engage industry stakeholders in regard to the initiatives within the support measure, which comprise general health and wellbeing support, mental health counselling and suicide prevention activities. Specific actions being progressed within this measure include expanding the non-government organisation mental health services, finalising arrangements for community-led mental health activities and events, and developing a communications campaign around supporting mental health awareness, which includes a range of farmer-friendly resources.

A total of $3½ million is committed to mental health and wellbeing through the drought support package: $2½ million through the Department for Health and Wellbeing for those more direct services, as well as $1 million through PIRSA, where they have been engaging closely with particularly some of the smaller farmer-led organisations.

It is absolutely crucial that we continue to reach out to our farmers and farming communities, and regional communities more broadly; that we continue to let them know that they are heard and that they are supported; and that we continue to ensure that there is no stigma about reaching out for support and that it's something that we can all do for each other.