Government Committed to Suicide Prevention
The Australian Labor Government has committed unprecedented funding to reduce the rate of suicide in the nation, the Minister for Mental Health and Ageing, Mark Butler, told delegates at the Fourth Asia Pacific Regional Conference of the International Association for Suicide Prevention in Brisbane.
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20 November 2010
The Gillard Labor Government has committed unprecedented funding to reduce the rate of suicide in the nation.
Speaking at the Fourth Asia Pacific Regional Conference of the International Association for Suicide Prevention in Brisbane today, Minister for Mental Health and Ageing Mark Butler said the Government had already made significant investment in programs to identify population groups at higher risk of suicide and to put in place appropriate assistance for those affected.
“We have developed the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to reduce the incidence of suicide and self harm, and to promote mental health and resilience across the Australian population,” he said.
“Under the strategy we will invest about $23.8 million in 2010-11 in the National Suicide Prevention Program, the Australian Government’s funding program dedicated to suicide prevention activities.
“This is almost three times the $8.6 million provided in 2005-06 and will bring four-year funding for the program to $97.8 million.”
The Government will also shortly respond to the Senate Inquiry into Suicide in Australia – The Hidden Toll: Suicide in Australia – which was released by the Senate Community Affairs References Committee in June 2010.
Mr Butler said the Government welcomes the recommendations made in the report and has already taken action on a number of fronts to tackle the problem of suicide.
“For example, the structural reforms being introduced under the new National Health and Hospitals Network will lay a foundation for further reform of the mental health sector,” he said.
“In the recent election campaign Prime Minister Gillard committed to making mental health a priority in the second term and committed an additional $274 million over four years for the Taking Action to Tackle Suicide package.
“This will provide more services to those at greatest risk of suicide, fund more direct suicide prevention and crisis intervention, provide more services and support to men who are at greatest risk of suicide, and promote good mental health and resilience in young people.”
For more information, please contact Mr Butler’s office on 02 6277 7280
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