❓ Hon Stephen Dawson questions the Minister for Mental Health regarding a recent suicide in Carnarvon and requests reconsideration of funding for suicide prevention strategies in the Gascoyne region. The Minister acknowledges the issue but states funding is allocated and dependent on local host agencies.
AnsweredQoN 680Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
SUICIDE
PREVENTION STRATEGY — CARNARVON
680. Hon STEPHEN DAWSON to the
Minister for Mental Health:
(1) Is the
minister aware of the latest tragic suicide in Carnarvon that took place over
the weekend of 5–6 October?
(2) Will the
minister now rethink her refusal to fund the Gascoyne region community action
plan and the Western Australian suicide prevention strategy?
PREVENTION STRATEGY — CARNARVON
680. Hon STEPHEN DAWSON to the
Minister for Mental Health:
(1) Is the
minister aware of the latest tragic suicide in Carnarvon that took place over
the weekend of 5–6 October?
(2) Will the
minister now rethink her refusal to fund the Gascoyne region community action
plan and the Western Australian suicide prevention strategy?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the
member for the question.
(1)–(2) I am not familiar
with the details of that particular death. It has not been brought to my
attention yet. The information that is brought to my attention about suicide
deaths is not necessarily on each individual person who dies. But of course I
get information on a quarterly basis from the Attorney General's office
on the numbers of people who have died over a period of time. So, no, I do not
know about the circumstances with this particular person. As I have indicated
to the member previously, the suicide prevention strategy is dependent on local
organisations becoming host agencies to undertake suicide prevention, community
action planning and initiatives in their local community. Funding had been
allocated for one of these to take place, and an agency had been identified in
Carnarvon, but the host agency withdrew from that proposal. The funding has
subsequently been reallocated to other community action plans. There is no
reason why the —
Hon Stephen Dawson : Is there not $4 million left in the rest
of the budget, minister?
Hon HELEN MORTON : The funding has been allocated and the
expenditure of that is taking place. It will be fully expended by the end of
this period. It is not as though there is unallocated funding. The funding is
allocated. There is no reason why there cannot be a community action plan in
Carnarvon in a new round of funding or by making use of some other form of funding.
For example, the commonwealth provides substantial levels of funding,
especially to the north west. But right at this moment, a small amount of
funding—I cannot remember precisely what it is, but it is something
like $300 000 or $400 000—will be made available for finalising very
small levels of community grants in the vicinity of $30 000 or $40 000 to move
some of those initiatives where the strategy has not been finished as we wanted
it to be, which was to ensure that the services become sustainable utilising
local initiatives, local resources and local people. I do not know whether any
of that could make a difference to some service in Carnarvon, but it depends on
having a local agency that is prepared to be the host agency and to take
ongoing and sustainable responsibility for that community action plan in that
community. I am of the opinion that the organisations that were seeking to get
a community action plan up and running in Carnarvon could not find an
alternative host agency that would take that on.
member for the question.
(1)–(2) I am not familiar
with the details of that particular death. It has not been brought to my
attention yet. The information that is brought to my attention about suicide
deaths is not necessarily on each individual person who dies. But of course I
get information on a quarterly basis from the Attorney General's office
on the numbers of people who have died over a period of time. So, no, I do not
know about the circumstances with this particular person. As I have indicated
to the member previously, the suicide prevention strategy is dependent on local
organisations becoming host agencies to undertake suicide prevention, community
action planning and initiatives in their local community. Funding had been
allocated for one of these to take place, and an agency had been identified in
Carnarvon, but the host agency withdrew from that proposal. The funding has
subsequently been reallocated to other community action plans. There is no
reason why the —
Hon Stephen Dawson : Is there not $4 million left in the rest
of the budget, minister?
Hon HELEN MORTON : The funding has been allocated and the
expenditure of that is taking place. It will be fully expended by the end of
this period. It is not as though there is unallocated funding. The funding is
allocated. There is no reason why there cannot be a community action plan in
Carnarvon in a new round of funding or by making use of some other form of funding.
For example, the commonwealth provides substantial levels of funding,
especially to the north west. But right at this moment, a small amount of
funding—I cannot remember precisely what it is, but it is something
like $300 000 or $400 000—will be made available for finalising very
small levels of community grants in the vicinity of $30 000 or $40 000 to move
some of those initiatives where the strategy has not been finished as we wanted
it to be, which was to ensure that the services become sustainable utilising
local initiatives, local resources and local people. I do not know whether any
of that could make a difference to some service in Carnarvon, but it depends on
having a local agency that is prepared to be the host agency and to take
ongoing and sustainable responsibility for that community action plan in that
community. I am of the opinion that the organisations that were seeking to get
a community action plan up and running in Carnarvon could not find an
alternative host agency that would take that on.
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