Jane Prentice (Ryan, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

'G'day mate, how are you going?' needs to be more than just a greeting. We need to stop, listen to the response and check on our friends. It saddens me deeply to rise to speak on this motion on a subject that has touched far too many in our great Australian family. Suicide is a terrible tragedy not just for those who are the victims but also for those who are left behind. While I cannot begin to appreciate the desperation, abandonment or isolation a person must feel prior to ending their life, I do feel so very distressed by the fact this can occur, and continues to occur, in today's communities. It troubles me greatly that, in a country as full of opportunity as ours, some people feel so isolated that they believe suicide is the only available path to peace. In more recent years, we've even heard of self-harm and suicidal ideations from children and teenagers. For me—and I'm sure everyone here agrees—this offers a grim reality of what some younger Australians accept as their fate.

Every year, more than 65,000 Australians attempt suicide. More than 2,500 Australians die by suicide, and more young Australians die by suicide than through road deaths. This is simply not good enough. Not one person in this place could say that they have not had experience with mental illness or suicide, no matter how close or far from them. The Ryan electorate is home to Gallipoli Barracks and has a large veteran population. Unfortunately, suicide is far too prevalent within our returned services community. While the rate of suicide in the ADF is no greater than the rate in the general populace, it troubles me that people with easy access to quality care and counselling still choose to end their lives rather than to seek help.

There are, however, support groups in the Defence community similar to R U OK? which also help to ease the burdens many are living through. For example, Wounded Heroes, an organisation of which I'm proud to be a patron, funds support services for deployed personnel, the wounded and their families. Services like this could potentially be the difference between current personnel or veterans choosing to live a full contributing life or leave their loved ones behind. We must do more to end the stigma surrounding not only suicide but, more importantly, seeking help for what are in most cases treatable illnesses. Volunteer groups like Meals on Wheels are more than just a meal. In keeping with the true spirit and premise of R U OK?, Meals on Wheels is an effective welfare check on individuals who may not otherwise have much contact with others. The Red Cross Telecross service provides a daily telephone call to check on people's wellbeing. This provides peace of mind if they are at risk of an accident or illness that may go unnoticed. One of the most recognisable services is Lifeline's Crisis Support and Suicide Prevention service. If someone is listening to me speak at the moment and needs support, please contact 131114.

On the subject of today's motion, R U OK?, there is nothing shameful about asking for help. A plea for help might be what saves a life and could be the difference between a family losing a parent or sibling and seeing that the individual receives the necessary assistance to treat them through their mental torment. Suicide and mental illness are concerns that have an impact upon all Australians. As a country we must take it upon ourselves to address the leading cause of death among men aged under 44 and women aged under 34. As a nation we have a suicide problem. Talking about it here and acknowledging the issue is a good start, but we must do more. I acknowledge and offer my heartfelt gratitude to organisations like R U OK? which inspire and empower people to connect with others around them and support those struggling through life's ups and downs. R U OK? is up-front in its acknowledgement that suicide prevention is not a simple, prescribed process. In fact the very question 'Are you okay?' could well be the connection a person craves long before they consider suicide. We may sit on opposite sides of the House, but mental illness and suicide do not have political boundaries. I commend the mover of the motion to the House and I thank the member for Franklin for drawing attention to the issue of suicide prevention and raising awareness of the work of R U OK? 'G'day mate; how are you going?' could save future lives.

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