Susan Lamb (Longman, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today on this, the second Thursday of September, to recognise R U OK? Day. In its ninth iteration since beginning in 2009, R U OK? Day is an annual day to ask family, friends and work colleagues—anyone close to you, including your neighbour—if they're okay. It's such a simple gesture but, to someone who really needs support, those three words can mean so much.

The most important thing to remember is that you can't always tell which of your family or friends—or, like I said, your neighbour—isn't okay. So many people every day hide their struggles. These people need us. Each and every one of our friends would need us in this case. As members of our community, it is important for each of us to be there for them and support them, whether they ask for that support or not. What makes R U OK? Day so powerful is that it brings communities together to support one other—like my community in Longman, which, tragically, holds the unwanted statistic of having the third highest rate of suicide in Australia. In spite of this, though, our community really does come together, and we're doing our very best.

In Longman, the trade union movement have gone to great lengths to support our community wherever they can. In fact, just last year, the Queensland Council of Unions got behind this great event and donated hundreds of dollars to our community's R U OK? Day efforts. With the support of the unions, the local Moreton North Suicide Prevention Network were able to buy some marquees so they could then better reach people out in the communities at local events. It was a very welcome gesture from the Queensland Council of Unions. I can't stress enough how important the work of the Moreton North Suicide Prevention Network is that they do for people in our area. Since 2014 they have been engaging with the community to work together to reduce suicide and its impact through education and a range of conversations and, of course, by raising awareness of suicide prevention.

We can all be part of this conversation. That's the whole point of R U OK? Day. It's to get people talking to each other and encouraging each other to take action. We all know it's not good to keep things bottled up inside, so just asking a mate if they're okay and showing them that you're there for them and that it's okay to talk about life's up and downs is really important. In 2015, there were 3,027 deaths by suicide in Australia, which represents the highest rate in 15 years. On average, there are 8.3 deaths by suicide every day. By doing something as simple as talking to your friends, family or colleagues, you could be taking meaningful steps to help reduce that statistic.