David Pocock (ACT, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today is World Suicide Prevention Day, an important opportunity to raise awareness, share messages of hope and encourage people to seek help. Each year in Australia over 3,000 Australians die by suicide, and an estimated 55,000 Australians attempt suicide.

Among men aged 15 to 44, suicide is the leading cause of death. One of the things we, as men, need to talk about more is encouraging each other to talk about mental health, reducing the stigma when it comes to reaching out to your mates or to a healthcare professional and actually talking about what's going on for you. There wouldn't be anyone in this place who hasn't been affected by a loved one or someone they know committing suicide, and often it's men who we think are the strongest and the most bulletproof—the ones who we thought had it all together. But underneath that was someone who was crying out for help and didn't feel like they could reach out and make themselves vulnerable.

So I'd encourage young people here and men out there to think more about the ways that you can support your mate, and, when you're facing issues yourself, reach out. It's not a sign of weakness; it is actually showing strength as a man. We can only be human together. It's our bonds and our friendships that really make us human. That's a good thing to remember on this World Suicide Prevention Day.