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House of Assembly - Fifty-Third Parliament, First Session (53-1)
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Motions

Suicide Prevention

Mr BELL (Mount Gambier) (11:30): I move:

That this house—

(a) notes the significant and unfortunate increase in the rates of suicide across the nation;

(b) notes the motions of the member for Adelaide and the Hon. J.S.L. Dawkins passed in this house and in the other place on 24 November 2011 and 6 April 2011 respectively;

(c) notes the subsequent development of the South Australian Suicide Prevention Strategy;

(d) encourages the efforts of all community organisations that are already working hard in this sector to continue their valuable contributions to suicide prevention throughout South Australia; and

(e) urges the government to build on the work of the Office of the Chief Psychiatrist by increasing support for the ongoing establishment of suicide prevention networks in local communities.

Today is a very important day: today's date is 13.11.14. For those who might not know, those numbers are quite significant: 13 11 14. I put to it the house whether anybody knows what those numbers are. Those numbers are Lifeline's telephone number: 13 11 14. So, it is quite ironic that I stand here today—

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: If you had said '131', we might have had a chance.

Mr BELL: That's right: 13 11 14. I want to speak locally, about Lifeline South East. It provides a vital service in our region, yet it receives minimal funding. It is such an important service, yet people believe that it receives funding in the same way as the ambulance service, health professionals and the like but, alas, it does not. The entire Lifeline South East operates on a budget of about $20,000, which is not a significant sum of money for the work it carries out.

The Suicide Prevention Network in Mount Gambier is committed to increasing awareness of suicide prevention and postvention services. Membership is made up of health professionals, business, consumers, carers, police, education and local government. Our Suicide Prevention Network meets monthly. It has developed an action plan for Mount Gambier, and it was the first in South Australia to lodge its action plan with our local government, the City of Mount Gambier.

The network continues to report on its achievements biannually, and there has been considerable activity in the last six months, including:

the establishment of a Men's Watch program, which is a program solely for men. I attended the three sessions they had last month, when over 60 men came together to share their experiences and concerns in an all-male environment, which was really pleasing to see. It was good to see the support that exists in our community for men who have either experienced some type of suicide in their vicinity or were going through a tough time in their life;

the development of an action plan for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities;

liaison with other South-East districts in developing their own networks;

an Out of the Shadows Suicide Awareness event, which is now firmly on the Mount Gambier calendar;

mouse mats with a suicide prevention message developed for distribution to key agencies, including job networks, Centrelink, education departments and the like; and

quick assessment tips for suicide, which has been developed for distribution to the wide spread of government, non-government sectors.

We need to continue to build on these initiatives to reduce stigma and to encourage people to seek help. One suicide is too many, and we all have a role to play in suicide prevention. The Mount Gambier City Council has endorsed the formal representation of the suicide prevention network as part of its strategic commitment to community wellbeing and a strong focus on building a healthy, connected community. Our council recognises that suicide prevention requires a whole of community approach. More than 2,000 Australians take their lives every year, according to ABS statistics. I just want to put that into context. In the Limestone Coast the rate of suicide for the period 2002 to 2012 was 12.7 per cent per 100,000. Then I thought: how does that compare with South Australia as a whole and how does that compare with other regional centres?

I was surprised to see that in South Australia as a whole the rate is 11.7 per cent per 100,000 and in rural South Australia it is 11.9 per cent per 100,000. So, the rate of suicide in the South-East per 100,000 is a higher percentage than South Australia as a whole or other regional areas. In my research what really concerned me was the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander rate of suicide per 100,000. That jumped to 26.7 per cent, according to the same statistics, so well over double the worst area in our state, and that would be the South-East. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander rate is far higher.

These losses obviously have a significant impact on families, friends, workplaces and communities. The network is concerned for the people behind the statistics. One suicide is one too many. Suicide prevention is recognised by the suicide prevention network as broad and far reaching. It involves all tiers of government, non-government and government emotional and physical healthcare services, schools, police, universities, prisons, workplaces, training organisations, sporting, social and service groups, media, family, neighbourhoods and communities. It is about inclusion, participation, connection, easily accessible information and looking out for one another. It is about recognising the social determinants of wellbeing, closing gaps and deficiencies and improving the strength and resilience of individuals and communities. In suicide prevention we all have a role to play.

Lifeline is an iconic service which began almost 52 years ago and is now a familiar and well-promoted service for crisis and suicide prevention. In the past 12 months, Lifeline has answered 750,000 calls. There is a call into Lifeline every 37 seconds. Suicide is discussed in 40 per cent of the crisis calls.

I just want to go through a couple of other points on suicide prevention in South Australia. Mental health and suicide are two completely distinct and separate issues. Not everybody who suicides has a mental illness, and we need to make sure that that distinction is made. Since June 2009, on average, one member of our South-East community is committing suicide every seven weeks—one member every seven weeks. If this was occurring on our roads our community would be, quite rightly, outraged and demanding that answers be found to the issue. This should be no different for the rate of suicide in the South-East—one every seven weeks since 2009.

Nationally, male suicides account for 77 per cent of deaths. As I said before, suicide is an issue the whole community must address as it affects immediate families and those who have come across a body. I have had many conversations with our local police and emergency services workers and their stories are quite harrowing.

If you have a teenager involved—and as a school teacher, unfortunately I have had students who I have known very well who have suicided—it affects the entire school community, particularly peers and friendships. Unfortunately I have also seen the taking of other lives on anniversaries where they were close to the person who originally suicided, so it has a ripple effect that can be massive amongst communities, particularly country communities. There has been an alarming trend of suicides occurring amongst elderly males in our community, particularly in the 60 to 70 year age group, so this is a growing and alarming trend that we need to be aware of.

I will finish because I know there are many who want to talk on this very important issue. If you are worried about someone or yourself or if you are overwhelmed or concerned, it is really important to seek help and there are a number of ways. For a 24-hour support service for yourself or others dealing with suicide or suicide-related issues or any issues really, you can, of course, call Lifeline on the date or the number I indicated before, 13 11 14, or the Country Health SA mental health emergency services support line on 13 14 65.

Mrs VLAHOS (Taylor) (11:41): I rise to speak on this motion not only as parliamentary secretary to the Premier in the area of mental health and substance abuse but also as someone who has recently participated in the anniversary of the suicide prevention networks in South Australia and attended their conference. I also recently attended community cabinet at Strathalbyn, where we met the Strathalbyn suicide prevention network and talked to the boys who rode from Adelaide to Darwin on postie bikes in recognition of a cluster of suicides that have occurred in the Strathalbyn area over the last few years. I heard there was another one recently unfortunately, so it is something that is in the forefront of my mind as I go about doing my work. I thank the member for Mount Gambier for bringing the issue to the forefront of the house on this date and the very clever way of using the telephone number with the date is a very good thing.

The government has a deep concern about the suicide rate in South Australia. The tragedy of suicide and the impact on the individuals and community left behind is devastating not only for the community but for the economy. Suicide, in fact, increases the risk of those surrounding the person who has left this world of suffering from suicide and mental health in the coming years as a ripple effect.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics has warned us to be cautious in understanding the increasing numbers in this area as this is due to improved reporting, and I think that is very true. We have known for many years that we have been under reporting suicides and not naming them for the tragedies they are, both in an epidemiological sense and also in a cultural sense of not wanting to talk about mental health in the media and the stigma attached to suicide. We are getting better at doing that without talking about it as a risk factor. We are becoming more mature in the way we discuss this.

The government is committed to the 'South Australian Suicide Prevention Strategy 2012-2016: Every life is worth living'. The strategy was developed following extensive consultation which involved over 750 South Australians. The strategy calls for a whole of community response in suicide prevention. The personal circumstances and experience that lead a person to attempt suicide are very complex and are not contained in one government sector. The solutions are equally diverse. The seven goals within the strategy are to articulate the elements that have emerged as important ways of preventing suicide in this state. The seven goals are:

1. To provide a socially inclusive community for individuals in supportive environments.

2. To provide a sustainable coordinated approach to service delivery, resources and information within communities to prevent suicide.

3. To provide targeted suicide prevention initiatives, activities and programs.

4. To address, as a priority, the issues that affect regional South Australians. (As the member for Mount Gambier highlighted before.)

5. To provide targeted postvention activities and programs to support the people who have survived suicide attempts and their families and loved ones who are now at increased risk themselves.

6. To improve the evidence base and understanding of suicide and suicide prevention.

7. To implement the standards and continuous practice improvements of suicide prevention.

The decision to take one's own life can lead to many different impacts on the people around them, and in fact there are many attempts. It is important that each one of us knows how we are to recognise and respond to the calls for help.

The suicide prevention networks in South Australia are making great works in the community and outreaching for all of us to understand that. Having recently participated in the R U OK? Day campaign, with the Hon. John Dawkins from the other place when the bus stopped in Adelaide, I found that there are many different mechanisms by which we can all reach out to support those we are worried about in the suicide prevention area. Raising awareness, breaking down the stigma and increasing community education increases the community's ability to respond and the ability of each of us to respond.

Towards this end, SA Health, through the Office of the Chief Psychiatrist, is working closely with stakeholders to establish suicide prevention networks in local council areas. The networks bring together a diverse group of individuals from business, community groups such as churches, senior citizens clubs, service groups, sporting clubs, industry, agriculture, non-government sectors, public sectors and high schools. The networks are in different stages of development around South Australia. There is one in Mt Gambier, Murray Bridge, Clare, Gilbert Valley, Gawler and Playford, and it will soon begin in Naracoorte and Whyalla.

Wesley LifeForce facilitates networks that are located in Port Adelaide, Strathalbyn and Port Augusta. The networks are supported by the Office of the Chief Psychiatrist and are encouraged to share their action plans, which they did recently at their conference, and their activities with other fellow networkers, and share the knowledge and expertise experienced from around Australia. The government is committed to the community development networks and the way we will move the suicide prevention networks forward.

The government is also working with Lifeline and beyondblue to assist these networks and providing small grant programs to the suicide network prevention activities across the state. I think someone said before that one suicide is one too many to people in our community and our state and this is so true. The tragedy of losing one of our community is rippled throughout our lives. The South Australian government is committed to working with and alongside anyone who is happy to fight the scourge of suicide in our society and to prevent its rise. We believe every life—and I personally believe every life—is valuable to our community, and no-one should be left behind to suffer the scourge on their own. I thank the member for Mount Gambier for moving the motion.

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (11:47): I rise to support the motion moved by the member for Mount Gambier, which states:

That this house—

(a) notes the significant and unfortunate increase in the rates of suicide across the nation;

(b) notes the motions of the member for Adelaide and the Hon. J.S.L. Dawkins passed in this house and the other place on 24 November 2011 and 6 April 2011 respectively;

(c) notes the subsequent development of the South Australian Suicide Prevention Strategy;

(d) encourages the efforts of all community organisations that are already working hard in this sector to continue their valuable contributions to suicide prevention throughout South Australia; and

(e) urges the government to build on the work of the Office of the Chief Psychiatrist by increasing support for the ongoing establishment of suicide prevention networks in local communities.

I pay tribute to the member for Mount Gambier for bringing up this very important issue, and certainly commend the work of the Hon. John Dawkins of the other place, he having done much work in the sector of suicide prevention and assistance in setting up groups. He certainly has been valuable in setting up the group in Murray Bridge, which was only launched recently, on 17 October.

Suicide touches every community, big or small, and sadly it touches close on 2,500 people who commit suicide across Australia annually. As the member for Mount Gambier rightfully said, if this was happening on our roads we would be absolutely outraged with this number of deaths—and we have too many deaths on our roads. It touches every community.

The member for Taylor indicated the issue she came across in Strathalbyn, and certainly it has been noted that there is too high a rate of suicide in the Strathalbyn area. I represented that area in my first term. Elsewhere on the Fleurieu Peninsula, at Goolwa, there have been far too many suicides.

When you come from a very small community like I do at Coomandook, and when there is just one suicide of someone you know—and it does not matter whether they move somewhere else in the country or even overseas, you always feel it if something happens and someone decides to take their own life.

In the past few years I lost a very good friend who was 70 years old and I never would have thought it. It is very hard to pick the signs but he was suffering from depression. I did not even realise that he was suffering depression. Most recently I attended a funeral of a lad who was only 39, and he had some personal issues that were going against him and, sadly, he thought that the only way out was to commit suicide, and those circumstances are very sad in which he decided that that was the only way out.

As speakers have already said, people need to reach out, whether to friends, neighbours, pastors or groups like Lifeline and beyondblue, to make sure that we can keep these people alive and making great contributions to our community over time, instead of feeling that desperate that they feel the only way out is to take their lives.

I have been involved in the set-up of the Rural City of Murray Bridge Suicide Prevention Community Network Action Plan and that has been ongoing for many months. The Murray Bridge Suicide Prevention Community Network was only launched on 17 October and it was opened by the Hon. Stephen Wade MLC, the shadow minister for suicide prevention and mental health. This was linked to the Murray Bridge Mental Health Expo and the guest speaker that day was former senator, Mary Jo Fisher (who I am told gave a very illuminating speech—I had to leave and sadly attend a funeral further away in the state).

I would certainly like to acknowledge the interim chair, Jessica Ziersch, of the Murray Bridge Suicide Prevention Community Network and Jessica presented the action plan to mayor Allan Arbon. It was a great launch and there were two of us involved who pulled strings and balloons came down from the top of the stage and they had cards inside them for the agencies that people need to contact if they are having these negative thoughts.

The action plan that was launched that day links with the Australian Suicide Prevention Framework, the South Australian Suicide Prevention Strategy and the Rural City of Murray Bridge Strategic Plan. I would like to note that the Rural City of Murray Bridge, in collaboration with Lynne James, Project Officer, Suicide Prevention, at SA Health have led the way in the formation of the network and that has created the suicide prevention action plan for our community. I really congratulate the work that Lynne James has done alongside our council in Murray Bridge in getting this plan up and going.

As indicated earlier, the launch was followed by the Mental Health Expo. The goals and objectives of the Rural City of Murray Bridge Suicide Prevention Community Network are:

Goal 1: We will enhance awareness and community capacity to respond to suicide.

Objective 1. Grow the network to be representative of the entire demographic of Murray Bridge

Objective 2. Capacity building and education across the community

Objective 3. Developing partnerships that build up the existing events/activities in the community to raise awareness

Objective 4. Facilitating the partnering of network providers and worksite/community groups to raise awareness.

Goal 2: To be responsive to those bereaved by suicide.

Objective 1. Saturate the community with postvention information

Objective 2. To support those bereaved by suicide in the community.

Goal 3: We will capture community and organisational learning from all of our activities.

Objective 1. We will evaluate the activities the network are involved in and capture the learning for future activities and understanding.

Goal 4: To maintain a healthy and vibrant network.

Objective 1. To ensure the health and wellbeing of members of the network.

I have quite a long list of members of the network who contributed not just to setting up the Suicide Prevention Network in Murray Bridge but also in assisting with the launch and the planning day. I would just like to acknowledge all of them: former mayor Arbon, Rural City of Murray Bridge; myself as the state member for Hammond; the Hon. John Dawkins, as mentioned earlier, from the other place; Jessica Ziersch, interim chair, RDA Murraylands and Riverland; Michael de Nieuwe, interim vice chair, Murray Bridge Youth Inc.; Faith Box, interim secretary, Rural City of Murray Bridge; Leah McFarlane, interim treasurer, Medicare Local; Frances Eltridge, public officer, Country South SA Medicare Local; Tracey Wanganeen, action plan advocate, Uniting Communities StandBy Response; Leah Colman, action plan advocate, ac.care; Ed Thomas, ac.care—Reconnect; Jen Hayes, Carers SA—Young Carer Program; Graham Ruwoldt, Uniting Communities StandBy Response; Yvette van Berkel, Uniting Communities; Senior Sergeant Peter Sims, SAPOL; and Simon Moody, Community Mental Health Service.

Others were: Ceara Rickard, Life Without Barriers; Susan Everett, PHaMS; Stuart Kenny, Murray Bridge High School; Janet Kuys, Silent Ripples; Peri Strathearn, The Murray Valley Standard; Graham Adler, Murray Bridge South Primary School; Heather Courtney, Rural City of Murray Bridge; Shane Thompson, Mid Murray Council; Simone Zrna, Rural City of Murray Bridge; Laine Wilson, ac.care—Reconnect; Tom Haig, Migrant Resource Centre; Trevor Smith, Silent Ripples; Michelle Chambers, APEX Murraylands/Rural City of Murray Bridge; Merv Schopp, Murray Bridge Men's Shed; Rachel Agars, Headspace; Clinton Williams; Michelle Currie, Murray Bridge South Primary School; Tara Attrill; Maggie Rodgers, Uniting Communities; Natalie Migliaccio, Headspace; Mick Loechenhoff, Men's Shed; Rachel Titley, foster carer; Ralph Fewquandie, SA Health; Annemarie Klingenberg; Philip Galley, Medicare Local; and Bonny Gibson, Closing the Gap.

Those were just 42 of the people involved, and there have certainly been lots of others involved in setting up the network. I congratulate all the people that have been involved in setting up this network to prevent suicide in the community. It is something we always need to look out for. What saddens me is that over time we do lose people who have no inkling at all, and you just wish they would speak out or wish that you had an inkling and you could have gone and spoken to them to show that they do have support in the community. Everyone has their dark days and there really is not the need to end your life, because it causes so much pain to so many other people you leave behind.

Mr TRELOAR (Flinders) (11:57): I rise to support the motion:

That this house—

(a) notes the significant and unfortunate increase in the rates of suicide across the nation;

(b) notes the motions of the member for Adelaide and the Hon. J.S.L. Dawkins passed in this house and in the other place on 24 November 2011 and 6 April 2011 respectively;

(c) notes the subsequent development of the South Australian Suicide Prevention Strategy;

(d) encourages the efforts of all community organisations that are already working hard in this sector to continue their valuable contributions to suicide prevention throughout South Australia; and

(e) urges the government to build on the work of the Office of the Chief Psychiatrist by increasing support for the ongoing establishment of suicide prevention networks in local communities.

I congratulate the member for Mount Gambier on bringing this motion to this house today and also on the quirky little point he raised about today's date, which of course is 13 November 2014. As he pointed out, if you write the date, it is 13/11/14, which aligns with 13 11 14, the direct line to Lifeline, which of course is an organisation so important for those people in need. I will come back to that shortly. The Hon. John Dawkins in the other place needs particular mention in the debate on this motion, because he brought the same motion to the upper house a little while ago and has done so much work in this area. He is to be congratulated for it: thank you for that.

Suicide is a tragedy that can touch anyone. It can touch any family at any time, and I would suggest there is probably a good number of members in this place who either personally knew somebody who has taken their own life or at least has known somebody within their family group who has decided to make the ultimate choice of attempting to or committing suicide.

The rates are rising. There are, apparently, 2,500 people per annum across the country who take their own life. It is almost the road toll, which is quite extraordinary. We talk about road safety and the road toll and all the activity that goes into attempting to reduce that, yet it seems that we talk very little, publicly at least, about what we can do about suicide rates, the help we can give to people and the ways in which we can reduce the devastating tragedy that is suicide.

It has been estimated that there are 30 attempts per day around the nation by people looking to take their own life, which is quite extraordinary. Seventy-seven per cent of all suicides are by males. I think, without being too dark about this, they are probably better at it. It is quite simple. They have the strategies that are more successful to take their own lives, and they have the capacity to do it if they really want to.

Rural suicides are high—higher than the national rate and higher than those across metropolitan areas—and there are a lot of causes for that. It may be lack of support or increased isolation but, certainly, the figures amongst rural Australia are much higher. Suicide rates amongst minority groups are also much higher. Aboriginal people are over-represented. I suspect it is probably true for other minority groups, such as gay and lesbian groups, who do not have the opportunity to reach out to support when they really need it.

As I mentioned earlier, we have probably all been touched at some point in our lives in that we have known somebody who has attempted suicide or taken their own life. That has certainly been the case for me. In fact, one suicide was quite a close friend of mine, and the devastation it caused for the family and the broader quite small country community was quite incredible, really. Of course, we all asked afterwards, 'Why?' and we all asked, 'What more could we have done?' There are no real answers to those questions, only that it has happened and those around are left to pick up the pieces, which can take years, sometimes, and sometimes a lifetime.

I am going to take a few lines from the Hon. John Dawkins' speech in the other place because he has contributed many times on this particular issue. I picked up on a meeting that he had attended and was talking about, and it was in relation to an organisation created by Anglicare SA. It is a new organisation, and I think a passage he quoted is worth reading into Hansard in this place as well. It comes from a page entitled A Cry for Help and it is directly from Anglicare. It reads:

Anglicare SA, in conjunction with Flinders Medical Centre's emergency department, is developing a vital pilot program to support individuals and their families at one of the hardest times of their lives—after a first suicide attempt. When this occurs, we know that they can be shocked, scared and they don't know what to do or where to turn. That's where Anglicare SA will step in—we will hear A Cry for Help…

A Cry for Help is a holistic early-intervention program to support individuals and families, linking them with support services and providing them with a toolkit of what they might expect and where they can seek and receive help. Trained Anglicare SA caseworkers will assist them to connect with services—it could be help with communication, psychological support, financial counselling or increasing community connections.

It goes on to describe how the pilot program will work:

When an individual presents at Flinders Medical Centre's emergency department after a first suicide attempt, the hospital will offer to connect them with Anglicare SA's A Cry For Help. The hospital will only make contact after receiving permission. The next of kin—family or friends—will also be offered contact with A Cry For Help. Then the individual or their family will receive a phone call to start the process. After assessment, ongoing support will be offered over the phone, in person and through linking people into existing support systems. Where there is a gap in services Anglicare SA will strive to fill it. It is expected that the support will be offered over a six-week period on average.

My congratulations go to Anglicare SA on this initiative. Of course, it is just one of a number of groups that provides support. The motion is not just about suicide; it is about suicide prevention, early intervention, assistance when it is needed and, as I said, there are many attempts each and every day right across Australia.

I will go back to the beginning of my speech and again make a reference to Lifeline. It is an organisation which has been around for many years, decades probably, and they are readily available at the end of a telephone line each and every day, 24 hours a day. The phone number, for those who take the time to read this Hansard or the broader publications, is 13 11 14, for those who need assistance in their day-to-day life.

Ms DIGANCE (Elder) (12:06): I rise to speak in support of this motion. I predict that all of us here have been touched by a tragic event of suicide. When you find yourself involved in this tragic life event, it gives rise to reflection on the life of a person whose story was incomplete and potential was unrealised and unfulfilled. It gives rise to questions of what might have been, what could have been, why this event even took place, and what could I or we have done to prevent it?

In my life I have experienced the event of suicide and its impacts on many occasions and on many levels, both as a professional in my working life and, sadly, on a personal level. Not one person whom I have known to have taken their life has left me untouched. Interwoven with the pain of grief and loss is the unknown of 'why' and the 'if onlys'.

The World Health Organisation has identified that around the world over 800,000 people take their own life annually, and they point out that this does not include the attempted suicides. For every suicide tragedy there is the affected family, friends and community who experience the long-lasting effects of this one very sad and lonely event. While it is recognised that suicide occurs throughout the lifespan, World Health Organisation research shows that it was the second leading cause of death among 15 to 29 year olds in 2012.

The World Health Organisation report aims to increase awareness of this significant public health issue of suicide and attempted suicide events. It aims to make suicide prevention a higher priority on the global public health agenda and it seeks to encourage and support countries to develop and/or strengthen comprehensive suicide prevention strategies with a multidisciplinary approach on a public health level.

Suicide is not simply an occurrence affecting populations of high income countries, but it is a global phenomenon in all regions of the world. In fact, statistics from 2012 reveal that 75 per cent of global suicides occurred in low and middle income countries. Suicide is a significant public health problem; however, the good news is that suicides are preventable with timely, evidence-based and often times low-cost interventions.

In countries such as Australia, while the link between suicide and mental disorders is well established, many suicides happen impulsively in moments of crisis with a breakdown in the ability to deal with life stresses such as financial problems, relationship breakdown or chronic pain and illness. Also strongly associated with suicidal behaviours are situations which involve experiencing conflict, disaster, violence, abuse, loss and a sense of isolation. Vulnerable groups may also experience higher suicide rates—groups who experience discrimination, such as refugees and migrants; Indigenous peoples; lesbian, gay bisexual, transgender and intersex persons; and, prisoners. Noteworthy is the fact that by far the strongest risk factor for suicide is a previous suicide attempt.

Suicides are preventable. There are a number of processes that can be implemented at many levels to prevent suicide and suicide attempts. These include:

reducing access to the means of suicide;

responsible reporting by media;

early identification, treatment and care of people with mental and substance abuse histories, chronic pain and acute emotional distress;

training of health workers in the assessment and management of suicidal behaviours; and

follow-up care for people who attempt suicide and the provision of community care.

The World Health Organisation identifies collaboration and coordination among multiple levels of society, including the health sector and other sectors, such as education, labour, agriculture, business, justice, law, defence, politics, local community and the media to be essential. There is no doubt that suicide is a complex issue. Suicide prevention determinants require comprehensive and integrated efforts as no one single approach alone can influence an issue as complex as suicide.

In addition to this, I will briefly mention a piece of research undertaken by some Canadian researchers into those who left suicide notes. While the study can be viewed as a snapshot, it reveals a notable trend. There are also other studies that replicate these findings. The researchers examined 20 suicide notes written by people who attempted suicide with 20 suicide notes written by people who successfully killed themselves. The notes were evaluated on five dimensions:

Sense of burden—'Would my loved ones be better off without me?'

Sense of emotional pain—'How much suffering is in my life?'

Escaping negative feelings—'Is death the answer to ending this pain?'

Altered social world—'Is death the answer to my troublesome social relationships?'

Hopelessness—'Is there evidence that life is going to get any better?'

What they discovered is of interest: the major difference was that the notes of suicide completers included much more detail about how they were a burden on other people and society at large compared to the attempters. Apparently, this sense of burden was the only distinguishing dimension of the suicide letters of these two groups. The insight this research provides is overwhelming, as it revealed that hopelessness, degree of pain and the belief that death will end that pain were common themes in the letters of both groups.

From this research, the conclusion was drawn that, in general, people do not commit suicide because they are in pain: they commit suicide because they do not believe there is a reason to live, and that the world would be better off without them. How sad. Suicide is sad, and the sudden loss with it has wide and long-lasting ramifications for those affected. We all have a responsibility to do what we can when we can to arrest this situation. I acknowledge the good work of our state government and also the good work of our committed professionals, clinicians and volunteers who work in this very critical area. Every life is worth living.

Mr WINGARD (Mitchell) (12:13): I rise today to support the motion on suicide prevention and awareness, as put forward by the member for Mount Gambier, and thank him for doing so. Many of us have been touched in some way by the death of an individual who has taken their own life. Preventing suicide and the impact it has on individuals, families and the community is the responsibility of all.

As has been pointed out previously, suicide is a prominent public health concern. Over the past five years, the average number of suicide deaths per year is 2,415—significantly higher numbers than the national road toll—and more than 65,000 make an attempt at suicide. In 2012, 1,901 males and 634 females died by suicide—a total of 2,535 deaths, which equates to an average of 6.9 deaths by suicide in Australia each day.

For those of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent, the relative age standardised suicide rate is 2.5 times higher for males and 3.4 times higher for females than in the corresponding non-Indigenous population. Suicide rates in Australia peaked in 1963 at 17.5 per 100,000, declining to 11.3 per 100,000 in 1984 and climbing back to 14.6 in 1997. Rates have been lower than this since that year. The age standardised suicide rate for persons in 2012 was 11.2 per 100,000. Seventy-seven per cent of people who die by suicide are males and 25 per cent are females.

There is an unwritten rule in the media not to report suicides to prevent copycat situations. Given those numbers, perhaps this is something that needs to be re-addressed and/or re-explained. Because suicides are not reported in the media, it must be noted that it does not mean they do not happen. I know a sensitivity must be shown in these situations, but perhaps more public awareness is needed and something that could be considered.

In recent years, in 2008 to 2012, the highest state-based standardised suicide rates were in the Northern Territory at 18.1 per 100,000 and Tasmania at 14.1 per 100,000, followed by Western Australia at 13.5, Queensland at 13 and South Australia at 11.8 per 100,000. Below them sat Victoria, the ACT and New South Wales.

I would like to commend a lot of groups that do a lot of good work in this field as well. You can see from those numbers that it is not good, and improvement in this area is greatly needed. I would like to commend the people who organised the R U OK Day, which took place on 11 September this year. It is a day to increase awareness of suicide prevention and encourage people to ask 'Are you okay?' to all those around them. Feeling connected is an important part of suicide prevention, and it is crucial we help others feel they belong, as a step towards lowering the number of suicides worldwide.

The thing I note about R U OK Day is that it is a great thing to do, as we did this year on Thursday 11 September, but it is something that can be done every day. To bring that awareness to people to care for those around them, I think is absolutely exemplary. Wednesday 10 September was World Suicide Prevention Day. This year the international theme was Suicide Prevention: One World Connected. The theme seeks to encourage connections between individuals, support services and countries in an attempt to reduce suicide and seek help for those needing it.

Suicide is the leading cause of death in Australia for men aged under 44 years and women aged under 34. In fact, the numbers show that seven Australians take their own lives every day. For every suicide there are tragic ripple effects for friends, families, colleagues and the broader community, and I will talk about that in a few moments.

Just as a reminder, I know phone numbers have been thrown around, but if someone you care about is in a crisis and you think immediate action is needed, call emergency services on 000, contact your doctor or local mental health crisis services or go to your local hospital emergency department. Do not leave the person alone unless you are concerned for your own safety.

I mentioned some of the great groups that work in this area, R U OK Day being an example. Another group that does marvellous work in this area is the beyondblue group, which is headed by former Victorian premier Jeff Kennett. They make some really good points about understanding suicide. Some of the key factors associated with suicide are varied and complex. Predicting who will take their life is extremely difficult, even for experienced professionals, and it is why, I think, when it does happen—people in this house have mentioned today the experiences they have had, and indeed I have had those same experiences—you sit there and you always ask yourself the question 'Why?' In most cases you had no idea that it was on the agenda for the person who did suicide.

There are several common characteristics of suicide, including a sense of unbearable psychological pain, a sense of isolation from others, lack of belonging, feeling trapped and hopeless and a burden on others, and the perception that death is the only solution when the individual is temporarily not able to think clearly, due to being blinded by overwhelming pain and suffering. There are also excruciating negative emotions, including sharing guilt, anger, fear and sadness, and they frequently serve as the foundation for self-destructive behaviour. These emotions may arise from any number of sources.

The most common condition associated with suicide is depression, and that is something that people deal with daily. I must point out that depression is not like other medical ailments—for example, a broken leg. When you fit a cast to a broken leg, you generally wait six to eight weeks, do some physio and, more often than not, people move on and are back in the recovery phase.

The recovery process for depression is not necessarily that clear. There is not a beginning, middle and end as such. Some people will only experience one episode of depression or anxiety in their life while others may go on to have another episode or experience recurring symptoms of depression and/or anxiety. Staying healthy both mentally and physically is not a sprint or a fad diet: it is a long-term life plan which, for all of us, requires work each and every single day, and that is where some of those groups come in.

Again, the member for Mt Gambier cleverly gave the number for Lifeline as today's date, being 13 11 14, which is incredibly clever. Any way we can publicise these ways of communicating or enabling people to communicate with professionals is fantastic. Kids Helpline is another, ReachOut is another, there is Headspace, and I have mentioned beyondblue. The Men's Shed programs fit into this space as well. We have them in Trott Park in my electorate and also in Reynella in my electorate. They do a marvellous job just to allow people to talk and share their emotions and time.

I would also like to commend the Hon. John Dawkins in the other place. When campaigning ahead of the last election, I held a seminar at the Reynella East College on suicide prevention. We had 15 or so people come along. It was a great event at which to hear from people in the community and to enlighten people in the community about the help you can get, things you can do and ways you can have yourself heard and helped, which seems to be a very common factor in suicide prevention with people who are suffering and looking for that added support.

Speaking of support, something that needs to be mentioned in this as well are the people who are left after suicide. They should not be forgotten in this either. Often, support is needed for those people. When coping with the loss of a friend or family member from suicide, people often feel a sense of unreality and numbness and have nightmares, intrusive thoughts, feelings of guilt and failure that they could not prevent it, as I pointed out earlier, feelings of perceived failure in responsibilities and a sense of blame. The list goes on, but these points are very real:

the feeling of rejection and abandonment;

anger towards the person who has suicided;

personal diminishment because of experiencing the suicide and a reflection of the quality of the relationship with the person; and

a sense of shame and stigma that other people will think negatively about you and your family, as well as the person who died. Sometimes this can result in feeling alone and wanting to withdraw from others.

Suicide bereaved people need compassion, as well as recognition and validation of their experience. In summary, if you are dealing with someone you are supporting in this situation, it is important to be non-judgemental in your support and offer an opportunity for them to tell their story. Sometimes, they will need to tell it over and over again to put them in a good space and help them grieve their loss. A safe and supportive environment is also needed, and it is also important for the person to be deeply listened to and heard and to express their grief in their own way.

In concluding, again I commend the member for Mount Gambier for bringing this motion before the house. Suicide is a very serious and real situation for the whole of the community, not only people who are feeling depressed. Any way we can help over time is vitally important.

Mr BELL (Mount Gambier) (12:23): I would like to thank all members for their contribution today, and especially commend the work of John Dawkins in the other place. I urge the house to support this motion, and I close the debate.

Motion carried.

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