Cathy McGowan (Indi, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It was a cold wet night on Saturday, when 200 of the Albury-Wodonga community gathered to shed light on the silent grief of suicide while at the same time taking up the challenge of reducing its incidence. As we know, with the passing of the winter solstice, each day after that grows more light. This is also the hope of those left behind.

In this speech today I want to thank and commend the organisers of the second annual Winter Solstice Community Evening, the Survivors of Suicide and Friends. In particular I acknowledge Stuart and Annette Baker, who, through the loss of their daughter, showed the way with the first winter solstice last year and the establishment of Survivors of Suicide and Friends. Thanks also to Emma Younger, Chelsea McLaren, Susi Taylor, Elli Fraser and Jodie O'Sullivan, and local media The Border Mail and Murray-Goulburn ABC, who are now lending their energy and support to organising this significant community event.

The Survivors of Suicide and Friends have a big dream: to take the annual Winter Solstice Community Evening from being local and to put it on the national stage To my colleagues here today I ask for your support so that the winter solstice will become a national day to raise awareness of suicide and to give support to survivors.