Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Moore for her supplementary question. Rural people with a mental illness face extra challenges such as isolation and difficulty accessing services. We also know that rates of suicide and suicide attempts are higher in rural and remote areas of Australia than in urban areas. The Taking Action to Tackle Suicide package commenced in July 2011. It includes initiatives such as providing free calls from mobile phones to Lifeline. The government provides around $7.1 million each year from national suicide prevention programs for a range of projects in rural and remote areas. The government is also supporting online therapy. Mental Health Connect went live in June this year and there is now online mental health support and therapy. Online therapy can be effective, particularly for people with mild to moderate anxiety and depression. This mode of delivery allows people to seek help from their own home— (Time expired)