Chris Crewther (Dunkley, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I'd first like to acknowledge the Woodlands school students who are with us in the chamber here today, and I welcome them to Parliament House.

I'd also like to discuss a new initiative I'm supporting called the Mornington Peninsula Speak Up For Change Campaign. It was set up in my electorate by two inspiring people: Jesse Cross, aged 32, and Hannah Swinnerton, aged 34. Together, they are raising awareness of the impacts of bullying, drug use and mental health by their own life experiences. They are speaking to youth groups and running community awareness and fundraising events.

Hannah is currently studying her certificate IV in youth work, and speaks regularly at local schools as part of the Youth Out Loud organisation. Jesse, who has a diploma in outdoor recreation, is also working at Frankston Hospital's mental health unit as a peer worker, a job he has thrived in for the past two years. They've shared with me some shocking statistics: one in seven Australians will experience depression in their lifetime, and by 2030 it's expected to be the leading illness burden. In 2017, 3,128 people took their own lives in Australia, which equates to eight people each day. And of the 380,000 young people who were cyberbullied in Australia last year, 162,000 turned to their parents for help but only 64,000 sought help from a mental health professional.

Jesse and Hannah are looking for further support to develop their campaign, including bringing awareness of domestic violence and LGBTIQA+ topics, expanding their events across the wider community and raising funds to start events for Youth Out Loud on the peninsula. (Time expired)

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