Susan Templeman (Macquarie, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I am pleased to support this motion. One of the things that struck me about the inaugural speeches of the class of 2016 was how often the phrase 'mental health' came up. I haven't done the figures, but it was certainly used more often last year than it was by the new members of the 34th Parliament in February 1985, which was the first group I listened to. That is because we now recognise the magnitude of an issue that was, 30 years ago, rarely spoken of. We know that one in seven young Australians experience a mental health condition, 75 per cent of mental health issues emerge before the age of 25, 54 per cent of people with a mental illness don't access treatment, and suicide is still the leading cause of death for young Australians, accounting for more deaths of young people than car accidents.

Last month, the Bureau of Statistics revealed that 2,866 Australians died by suicide last year. We all know that figure represents an enormous loss to 2,866 families and their communities. What this shows us is that we have a lot of work to do, particularly for young Australians. The statistics demand our attention. Our personal experiences demand attention. They both warrant urgent action. I welcome any investment by this government, but I also recognise that we do need to do more.

I particularly welcome the bipartisanship on display today but, I must say, I find it hard to reconcile the fact that the speakers on the government side today, who are clearly very proud of the work being done in the mental health space, are also members of the same government that supported a postal survey that is—in the town square of Springwood, and on the screens of many a phone and tablet of my constituents—causing distress to people who thought they had conquered, or at least had under control, their feelings of self-doubt and anxiety about their sexuality and their place in this country.

Sadly, as we speak here today, more homophobic ads are aired, more unnecessary attacks occur, and another young person is made to feel like they don't belong—like they don't matter. We all know that $122 million could have been much better spent supporting these young people, not marginalising them. A responsible government, a strong government, a Labor government, would not have allowed that to happen. I certainly encourage the government to continue to seek additional ways to support the mental health of Australians, but we know that things have to happen at all levels of our society to tackle the challenges of poor mental health. Within my community, there are many local initiatives. Hawkesbury City Council, for one, deserves congratulations for its new efforts towards addressing mental health issues within the community. Simon Griffin, a young man from Bligh Park who has lived experience of mental illness, is working hard to raise awareness and share his insights with our PHN. Our PHN has just released some terrific new programs. I also acknowledge Peter Webb's efforts, as part of the Western Sydney Suicide Prevention Network, and of course there are many others.

For peri-urban communities like mine, a huge hurdle is access. The Hawkesbury, for instance, while based on the outskirts of Western Sydney, doesn't have quality public transport nor an abundance of services. The Blue Mountains, while there is a train line, are in a similar situation. The closest place to get emergency mental health care and ongoing treatment for anyone under 18 is Nepean Hospital in Penrith or services further to the east of the city. The Hawkesbury stretches out beyond Bilpin to Mount Tomah, up the Putty Road towards Singleton—that's the Hunter Valley—and north beyond Wiseman's Ferry, and it is largely rural. If you google Colo Heights to Sydney or St Albans to Penrith and opt for the public transport route on Google Maps, you're met with a 'no route found' message. There is no way for people to access the services they need, unless they are fortunate enough to drive a car and are in a headspace to drive a car. We clearly need to allow people to access crucial services in peri-urban environments.

I want to congratulate an online mentoring group that's just been launched, StartOut Australia, which recognises that people of diverse sexualities and genders are overrepresented when it comes to mental health issues like depression and anxiety. I was at the launch; there were messages from the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition. I want to congratulate co-founders Adam Dent and Brendan White on the research and energy that has got them to a point of coming up with something that may help peri-urban areas access great mental health support.

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