❓ Mr. Kirkup raises concerns about the high suicide rate among the Yamatji people, prompting the Minister for Mental Health to detail government initiatives and increased funding for mental health and suicide prevention, while also criticising the previous government's inaction.
AnsweredQoN 909Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
YAMATJI PEOPLE —
MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDE PREVENTION
909. Mr Z.R.F. KIRKUP to the Minister for Mental Health:
Is the minister aware of the serious
concerns of the Yamatji people that they are currently suffering the highest suicide
rate in the world; and, in that context, what is the minister doing to provide
additional mental health and suicide prevention funding to them to deal with
this crisis in the here and now?
MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDE PREVENTION
909. Mr Z.R.F. KIRKUP to the Minister for Mental Health:
Is the minister aware of the serious
concerns of the Yamatji people that they are currently suffering the highest suicide
rate in the world; and, in that context, what is the minister doing to provide
additional mental health and suicide prevention funding to them to deal with
this crisis in the here and now?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question.
Yes, I am acutely aware that the Yamatji people are suffering the brunt of
suicides, particularly youth suicides, in their community, just like the
Kimberley, and our response to that is resolute. First of all, we have
increased funding for mental health by over 21 per cent in the time that we
have been in government. That is an outstanding record that puts us at the
forefront of state government funding for mental health today, which is a very proud record. In addition to that, we are
doing a range of things in the suicide p revention space. I took a grievance
on this subject from the member for Belmont this morning. This includes funding
of over $9 million for the current suicide prevention strategy through to the
middle of 2020, and then we will give consideration
to a new suicide prevention strategy— suicide prevention 2021–25—which
we released on 9 October for public comment and discussion, to get
feedback on how we can continue to make sure that we improve our mental health
services.
In particular, we are doing a range of work with Hon Ken
Wyatt, addressing suicide issues as they relate to the Kimberley, and many of
the issues that relate there are lessons that will be able to be used in
addressing suicide prevention in the Yamatji region. In particular, they talk
there about the need for social wellbeing officers working within the community
so that they can spot the early signs of deteriorating mental health, and make
sure that help is given to those who are exhibiting signs that they are not
coping and may therefore be confronting issues of depression and anxiety, and
contemplating suicide. This is such an important piece of work that the Premier
himself has his department working on it, and it will shortly be responding in
full to the coroner's report and the message stick report, in which the
member for Kimberley played a very important role. Those responses will seek to
address the whole issue of suicide prevention right across our community,
including in the Yamatji region. As the member would be aware, I have a lot of
friends in Geraldton and beyond, and they have given me no end of advice about
what we should be doing, and we should be doing more. That underpins the reason
why we are developing, as part of the Geraldton hospital redevelopment, secure
mental health facilities at that hospital, to expand them.
Mr Z.R.F. Kirkup : Which won't
be built until after the next election.
Mr
R.H. COOK : In addition to that, we
are currently building a step-up, step-down facility in Geraldton to make sure
that people have the care that they need when they need it. Whether they are
transitioning out of hospital or starting to confront acute mental health
issues, they can get that care. I heard the member for Dawesville say that that will not happen until after the next
election. The previous government had eight and a half years to get on top
of this. It had eight and a half years to invest in the Geraldton hospital, and
invest in mental health services in the
Geraldton region, and it did not. We are now bringing the resources to bear to
make sure that we have those services.
This is a really difficult issue.
Suicide prevention is the most confronting issue that we have to face in
government, and it is one about which there are very complex issues and no easy
answers. We are up for the fight; we are working closely with the people in the
Kimberley region and with the Aboriginal medical services in the Geraldton
region. We are working closely with the federal government. It has to be a comprehensive
plan, and we will be making sure that we bring the necessary resources to make
it happen.
Yes, I am acutely aware that the Yamatji people are suffering the brunt of
suicides, particularly youth suicides, in their community, just like the
Kimberley, and our response to that is resolute. First of all, we have
increased funding for mental health by over 21 per cent in the time that we
have been in government. That is an outstanding record that puts us at the
forefront of state government funding for mental health today, which is a very proud record. In addition to that, we are
doing a range of things in the suicide p revention space. I took a grievance
on this subject from the member for Belmont this morning. This includes funding
of over $9 million for the current suicide prevention strategy through to the
middle of 2020, and then we will give consideration
to a new suicide prevention strategy— suicide prevention 2021–25—which
we released on 9 October for public comment and discussion, to get
feedback on how we can continue to make sure that we improve our mental health
services.
In particular, we are doing a range of work with Hon Ken
Wyatt, addressing suicide issues as they relate to the Kimberley, and many of
the issues that relate there are lessons that will be able to be used in
addressing suicide prevention in the Yamatji region. In particular, they talk
there about the need for social wellbeing officers working within the community
so that they can spot the early signs of deteriorating mental health, and make
sure that help is given to those who are exhibiting signs that they are not
coping and may therefore be confronting issues of depression and anxiety, and
contemplating suicide. This is such an important piece of work that the Premier
himself has his department working on it, and it will shortly be responding in
full to the coroner's report and the message stick report, in which the
member for Kimberley played a very important role. Those responses will seek to
address the whole issue of suicide prevention right across our community,
including in the Yamatji region. As the member would be aware, I have a lot of
friends in Geraldton and beyond, and they have given me no end of advice about
what we should be doing, and we should be doing more. That underpins the reason
why we are developing, as part of the Geraldton hospital redevelopment, secure
mental health facilities at that hospital, to expand them.
Mr Z.R.F. Kirkup : Which won't
be built until after the next election.
Mr
R.H. COOK : In addition to that, we
are currently building a step-up, step-down facility in Geraldton to make sure
that people have the care that they need when they need it. Whether they are
transitioning out of hospital or starting to confront acute mental health
issues, they can get that care. I heard the member for Dawesville say that that will not happen until after the next
election. The previous government had eight and a half years to get on top
of this. It had eight and a half years to invest in the Geraldton hospital, and
invest in mental health services in the
Geraldton region, and it did not. We are now bringing the resources to bear to
make sure that we have those services.
This is a really difficult issue.
Suicide prevention is the most confronting issue that we have to face in
government, and it is one about which there are very complex issues and no easy
answers. We are up for the fight; we are working closely with the people in the
Kimberley region and with the Aboriginal medical services in the Geraldton
region. We are working closely with the federal government. It has to be a comprehensive
plan, and we will be making sure that we bring the necessary resources to make
it happen.
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