Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

One of the fundamentals—and this is something I would commend to every member of this House—is that, if you have front-line staff, you need them to do a mental health first aid course. If you have not done one, go and do one. They are fascinating. There is an Indigenous mental health first aid course that we are rolling out across the country. We have had an immediate rollout in Groote Eylandt. We know some of the tensions that exist there. That is 225 people. There are another 1,500 of my front-line workers in remote school attendance and community night patrols. The final rollout will be to the 37,000 CDEP participants, because it is about lifting capacity within the community. Like any community, the stigmatisation of mental health is part of the great challenge of talking to people about how they are feeling and how they need to respond and get help. Men—we are the worst. With a mental health first aid course you will understand that this does not need to be stigmatised. That lift in the capacity in the communities will make a vast difference in this area. (Time expired)