Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2010-06-29 Daily Xml

Contents

Answers to Questions

COMMUNITY RESPONSE TO ELIMINATING SUICIDE

In reply to the Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS (12 May 2010).

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY (Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister Assisting the Premier in Public Sector Management): I have been provided with the following information:

SafeWork SA provides funding for occupational health, safety and welfare (OHSW) research projects to assist in the achievement of objectives contained within South Australia's Strategic Plan relating to OHSW. On 26 May 2009, the SafeWork SA Advisory Committee endorsed the 'OHSW Research Strategy for South Australia'. One of the recommendations of this strategy was that psychosocial risks should be a 'key project area' for university-based research.

In 2009, the SafeWork SA Advisory committee approved two grants to the University of South Australia for two projects dealing with psychosocial stressors. Funding of $146,623 was provided for a project on working hours, fatigue and work-family strain, and $150,000 for a project to undertake a population-based survey of a range of stressors in the workplace (the Australian Workplace Barometer). Both projects are relevant to measuring the types of workplace stressors that might make suicide more likely. The Barometer project will look at developing workplace change strategies to prevent and reduce the risk of mental health injuries and potentially suicide related to work.

There is capacity for representatives of the Community Response to Eliminating Suicide initiative to approach appropriately qualified university researchers to see if they would be interested in submitting a funding application under SafeWork SA's Commissioned Research Grants Programme. Details on the 2010 call for applications and how to apply for a grant will be available on the SafeWork SA website from 5 July 2010. Applications will close on 27 August 2010.