Matt Burnell (Spence, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Three thousand everyday Aussies—dads and mums, grandparents, police officers, nurses, schoolteachers, students, veterans, truck drivers, children—commit suicide every single year in Australia. That's nine everyday Aussies every day. It is the leading cause of death among young people in Australia. Seven out of nine of those everyday Aussies that take their own life every day are everyday Aussie men. In fact, men aged 18 to 44 are the most at-risk group for taking their own lives. Seventy-five per cent of suicides are accounted for by men.

I know the start of my speech in this adjournment debate is a very raw, hard to swallow and hard to comprehend state of affairs. But I can tell you, it is so much harder for the families of those who deal with the grief, the questions and the what-ifs every day after suicide impacts them.

At home in South Australia, I recently attended a Men's Meals and Mental Health dinner. The event was run by the incredible Breakthrough Mental Health Research Foundation. John Mannion and his team from Breakthrough brought together 600 everyday Aussie men to talk to confront a very serious issue. In doing so, the Breakthrough Mental Health Research Foundation raised in excess of $360,000, with money going towards the establishment of a suicide prevention fellowship in men's mental health.

Incredible courage was shown by South Australia's Police Commissioner, who took the time to confront the audience and speak about the loss of his dear son, Charlie. The event was tough at times, but incredibly well thought out and incredibly well received by the audience. For me, the highlight of the event was an audience engagement activity called 'step to the line'. In this activity with 600 other men, we gathered around the Adelaide Oval face-to-face and were encouraged to be brave, to be vulnerable, to step forward as a declaration and to identify to ourselves what thoughts and actions were affecting the 600 everyday men gathered together that evening.

In this moment, it brought up circumstances, events and personal feelings that I too felt, like the loss of my father. Following his passing, I had a period of time when I went down that rabbit hole—that place that takes you into a dark area and you start to contemplate what's good in your life. I have to say it was my wife, who was one of my best friends at the time, who helped pull me out of that dark hole, showed me the light and got me back onto the road to recovery so that I could get on with my life and continue to contribute the way that I do now.

As I stated earlier, suicide is the leading cause of death among young people in Australia. Upon reflection on my own journey, I knew coming to this place as an elected member, this was something that I would have to confront, and help to make change so that more support is available to young people.

I'm incredibly grateful that the community I represent, the northern suburbs of Adelaide, will be home to a new Headspace centre. Headspace is the primary national platform for young people aged 12 to 25 years old who are experiencing or at risk of mild to moderate mental illness. Headspace services provide care in four key areas: mental health, related physical and sexual health, alcohol and other drug support and vocational services. Our government has invested more than $290 million into the Headspace program in the 23-34 financial year. The new Headspace centre, to be located in Gawler, is good news for local families and the whole community.

As a government, there is always more—more money, more initiatives and more ideas. As a society and a community, there is every day. Every day, check on those that you know are doing it tough. Every day, be kind to that hospitality worker running between customers to serve you. Every day, stop and have a chat with your neighbour when putting the bins out and checking the letterbox. Every day, take time after school to sit down with your children and to ask them if they are okay. What we know is that thoughts are not always worn on one's face or in one's disposition. The mask of bravery hides the pain, the isolation and the compounding thoughts that there isn't any hope. Every day we all need to do our part for our fellow everyday Aussie. If you're in need of help, please reach out to one of the following: Lifeline Australia, 131114; Beyond Blue, 1300224636; or headspace, 1800650890.