The Greens’ Amanda Bresnan is calling for an end to to the Catholic driven taboo on discussing suicide:
ACT Greens Health spokesperson, Amanda Bresnan MLA, will today call on the ACT Legislative Assembly to break the silence on suicide, by having figures on the ACT suicide toll released to the public biannually.
“There is a great deal of stigma when it comes to talking about suicide. Experts such as 2010 Australian of the Year Professor Patrick McGorry and leading community and mental health organisations have long advised that public reporting of suicide should occur. We need to break the silence if we are to ease the suffering of people who confront the issue and save lives,” Ms Bresnan said today.
“Because of the lack of discussion, many in the community are not aware that suicide is the leading killer of our young people. It is the leading cause of death for men under the age of 44 and women under the age of 34 in Australia.
“There is a considerable difference between community awareness and government campaigning about road safety, for example, in comparison to suicide prevention, even though the suicide rate is about two to three times higher.
“According to the ABS Cause of Deaths report released last week, at least 35 people died in the ACT as a result of intention to self-harm in 2010, and all were aged between 15 and 55. However, suicides are underreported and the figure may be higher.
“I am calling on the Minister for Health to table these figures twice a year in the Assembly, to keep the focus on the issue and encourage discussion. The community needs to be able to talk publicly about suicide.
So what do you think of this proposal deal reader?