Bert Van Manen (Forde, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'd like to take this opportunity to congratulate the students at Marsden State High School for their commitment to removing the stigma surrounding mental health issues. Year 9 student leaders at Marsden State High School did amazing work for mental health by spreading awareness on this past R U OK? Day as part of the school's Mates Talk Change Program. The students styled stickers, postcards and stress balls to remind the school community of the importance of starting open and honest conversations with friends and loved ones. Community awareness programs are so important in communities such as mine where suicide rates are above the national average. I know many families in my electorate of Forde who have suffered from, or support someone with, mental illness.

That's why I was so pleased to see the announcement over the weekend about additional funding and support for headspace. I think all of us across this chamber recognise the importance of ensuring that we support those with mental health issues and of having a positive attitude towards helping those people. It's important that those people are not stigmatised and that they don't feel excluded from our community. We must find ways to include and support them such that they can deal with the issues they're facing and become the valuable and important members of society we know they can be.