World Mental Health Day

Wednesday September 27, 2023

Mr BELL (Mount Gambier) (11:53): I rise on the motion introduced by the member for Elder and commend her efforts regarding her advocacy for mental health within South Australia and her electorate. Mental health is such a complex topic, as the stigma behind it, especially for men's mental health, is so prevalent, despite almost everyone being affected in one way or another. Recognising World Mental Health Day opens the door for future conversations on mental health by reducing its stigma and encouraging every day to be a day when somebody can talk and raise awareness about mental health.

Living in a regional area, as we have just heard, it can be intimidating to share and speak freely about mental health, which is why I would like to draw attention to the hardworking individual in my electorate, Luke Thompson, who has taken upon himself to create a podcast, Let's Talk, designed to break the stigma around mental health. As written in The Border Watch, our local paper, Luke said, and I quote:

I thought there was a gap and I always wanted to start a podcast after I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety but didn't know how to go about it.

I have always been very open about my diagnosis and people started messaging and coming up to me, telling me how they battle with [their own] mental health.

This [podcast] is about getting people to open up and normalising mental health.

We go through this and it is normal, mental health is not a taboo subject anymore.

Luke's podcast has encouraged local regional people to speak and learn different ways to manage their mental health battles without feeling like it is an unwinnable war. His initiative to destigmatise mental health, especially regional men's mental health, is highly commendable and should be shared further outside Mount Gambier and the greater Limestone Coast region.

Recently, we saw the unveiling of concept plans for the proposed upgrade to the mental health unit at the Mount Gambier and districts hospital. This will include six short-stay beds and two specialist community drug and alcohol rehabilitation beds, as mentioned by the health minister a minute ago. As a regional hospital, these types of commitments are vital for adequate country living and community health.

Without the additional mental health beds, our hospital will be exceeding capacity, unable to support those struggling with mental health in time of urgent need; restricting the care of someone else in need of medical attention as standard beds are being used for mental health beds; or forcing unnecessary and expensive travel to metropolitan health facilities as there is no assistance locally. It is an important issue and, although there are still challenges with availability and funding for the Mount Gambier and districts hospital, every mental health bed is one step closer to better regional health.

On a slightly more lighthearted note, I would like to reiterate my praise for Adam Todd, Adam Richards, Jesse Plunkett, Celeste Raymond, Shane Raymond, Matt Roscow, Luke Thomson and Aaron Davis who, I mentioned earlier this year, established a Switch the Headspace Match for Mental Health. This football match was designed to do two things: raise awareness and funds to reduce the stigma around mental health and to educate the wider South-East community on mental health, aiming to encourage those who may not have traditionally sought mental health support and give them the ability to reach out.

The footy match, which featured ex-AFL stars Dane Swan, Leon Davis, Shane Mumford, Jordan Murdoch, Brodie Murdoch, Winis Imbi and myself—

Members interjecting:

Mr BELL: —I am kidding. But I did play for a small bit to a crowd of over 3,000 people and the game raised over $30,000 for the Limestone Coast Headspace.

This initiative, as amazing as it is, sadly started due to the increasing suicide rate of young people in our township. Those young boys knew that if what they needed to do to save a friend's life was to destigmatise and talk about the challenges and effects of mental health, then that was what they would do. Their advocacy for talking about mental health and reiterating that it is not weak to speak or to get mental health support is highly admirable and brave. I am sure it has helped more people than they will ever know. Therefore, I commend the motion to the house and thank the member for Elder for bringing this important topic to parliament.

Speeches