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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2022-09-07 Daily Xml
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Matters of Interest

R U OK? Day

The Hon. S.G. WADE (15:27): Tomorrow, Thursday 8 September 2022, is R U OK? Day, a day of national action dedicated to reminding Australians that any day is the day to ask 'Are you okay?' and support those struggling with life. R U OK? Day is an initiative of R U OK?, the national public health promotion charity, and encourages people to have conversations that can help others through difficult times in their lives.

R U OK? was founded by the late Gavin Larkin. Gavin was an advertising executive, but first he was a son, a son who lost his father to suicide. He passionately wanted to do something to prevent others experiencing this loss. He founded are R U OK?, which focuses on building the motivation, confidence and skills of the help giver, the person who can initiate a meaningful conversation with someone who is struggling with life. R U OK? knows that a conversation could change a life.

R U OK? contributes to suicide prevention efforts through fostering personal connection and building the capacity of informal support networks, friends, families and colleagues, to be alert to those around them and to be able to identify signs of distress or difficulty. People often do not find it easy to reach out to seek support, nor easy to offer support, but by keeping it simple and breaking down the conversation into everyday language, people are empowered by R U OK? to believe, 'I can and should do this.'

Asking, 'Are you okay?' is something we can all do. A key element of the success of R U OK? is that simplicity—a simple, strong message that cuts through and can mobilise large numbers of people to become more engaged in suicide prevention. Through its four-step conversation model, R U OK? helps people navigate a conversation and provides signposts to support services when the conversation becomes too big.

R U OK? is proudly quirky and distinctive. In an accessible way, R U OK? nudges all Australians to look out for each other in creative, hopeful and vibrant ways. The evidence shows that R U OK? is having an impact. Those exposed to the R U OK? campaign are up to six times more likely to reach out to someone who might be experiencing personal difficulties, compared to those not exposed to the campaign.

Eighty-seven per cent of Australians are now aware of the R U OK? message; 62 per cent have asked someone face to face if something was troubling them one or more times in the last month; and 19 per cent answered, 'I'm not okay,' among those who were asked if they were okay. Sixty per cent of Australians believe R U OK? has reduced the stigma associated with seeking help, and 60 per cent of Australians say R U OK? makes people feel more connected.

R U OK? Day is an important part of raising and maintaining awareness of the R U OK? message and maintaining the social fabric of Australia. One-fifth of Australians actively participate in some form of R U OK? activity throughout the year. This broad community capacity building is vital. Almost 50 per cent of Australians believe that only mental health professionals can engage with a suicidal person, but the reality is that around half of those who die or attempt suicide do not access professional health services in the period prior.

Research shows that vulnerable people may disclose their distress to other services or people around them, people who may be best placed to notice changes, shifts in mood or demeanour, and make the offer of help. Therefore, R U OK? provides a vital component of the overall Australian strategy for suicide prevention and boosts the protective factors for maintaining people's mental health and wellbeing.

R U OK? is a strong, rich thread in the growing tapestry of suicide prevention. The Marshall Liberal government had a strong commitment to enhancing that tapestry. The Suicide Prevention Council was led by the Hon. John Dawkins, the former President of this place and the Premier's Advocate for Suicide Prevention and a former distinguished member of this council. The government delivered Australia's first Suicide Prevention Act. We expanded the Suicide Prevention Networks to 42.

There is much to be done to prevent suicides in South Australia. I have no doubt that broad community-based initiatives such as R U OK? are vital partners with governments at all levels to pursue that goal.

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