National Suicide Prevention Conference
Brief ministerial statement
Ms Meredith Hammat (Girrawheen—Minister for Mental Health) (12:15 pm): I was pleased, along with the Premier, to address the National Suicide Prevention Conference on 20 May this year. I know the value of the important and often challenging work that is required to reduce and prevent suicide, and it was great to see the dedication and enthusiasm of the 800 delegates to the conference coming together to work on this critical issue that unfortunately affects so many families and communities.
It was fantastic to have Suicide Prevention Australia bring this national conference to Western Australia. I acknowledge the important work it does to raise the profile of suicide prevention across Australia. The work of the state government to improve the mental health of Western Australians is directly supported by those with living and lived experience, and we would simply not be able to do our work without it. We have worked hard to elevate the voices of those with lived experience in WA and we will continue to ensure that these vital perspectives are embedded in policy and practice.
The state government is in the process of developing the 2025–30 Western Australian Suicide Prevention Framework. The framework will set out our approach to suicide prevention for the next five years. It will aim to provide a common understanding for everyone in our community about the causes of suicide and the strategies that help to reduce and prevent suicide.
As the Premier mentioned at the conference in May, suicide remains one of the most complex and urgent challenges we face. Tragically, too many Western Australian families continue to be touched by suicide. I was grateful to be able to speak to the delegates as they came together to work on solutions for suicide prevention.
