John Alexander (Bennelong, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last week was Mental Health Week. Despite the fact that one in five Australians experience mental illness every year and nearly half will experience mental illness in their lifetime, it is still a hidden disease. It does not show outward scars and can easily be missed. For these reasons, it has remained out of the broader public conversation for a long time. Even now, with more and more people opening up about their struggles with mental illness, it is still a topic that deserves more attention and compassion. We need to understand and be sensitive towards the symptoms.

The recent actions on court by Nick Kyrgios may not be unprofessional or immature but those of someone who is struggling to cope with the pressures that come from performing in the public eye 24/7. His mental state may have been strained to breaking point by the constant attacks by the media and others since his overnight celebrity status at Wimbledon in 2014.

I am very pleased that Tennis Australia offered him a reduction of his ban if he sought professional help, and I am particularly happy that he has taken up this option. The seeking of help is courageous and sometimes the hardest part. This should be a potent reminder that these issues can affect anybody. Nick needs the understanding and sensitivity that any young man needs as they grow to full mental and emotional maturity.