3 Years in the making but finally released - Tas Parliament Joint Standing Committee Report into Strategies for the Prevention of Suicide
I know I said I was done BLOGGING, but I wanted to bring some closure to this story that we have been reporting on since the beginning.The Tasmanian Parliamentary Joint Standing Committee on Community Development has finally released it's report into Strategies for the Prevention of Suicide.
The report is OK as reports go. But it really only highlights the inadequacies of our current response to having the second highest suicide rate in the nation, and I don't believe it carries us any further forward in dealing with this health crisis.
Like other reports I believe it will ultimately die a death due to lack of commitment and funding. The media is in an enormously influential position to breathe oxygen into the question of an appropriate community response to suicide through the sensible and educational reporting of the issue and by holding public officials to account. Sadly, I'm not certain that that commitment exists to sustain the sort of campaign that would be required to elevate this cause of preventable death to the same prominence given to road safety campaigns.
Readers can rest assured that whilst I may not be posting regularly I will not stop campaigning on the issues that matter to me including:
* Child Protection (including securing the future of NEWPIN in Tasmania);
* Suicide prevention;
* Affordable rental housing;
* Gambling reform (particularly regarding poker machines);
* Quality and properly resourced youth programs;
* Community and economic development to eradicate poverty; and the
* Promotion of private and Corporate philanthropy.
On the latter point, what a wonderful front page story in today (Saturday 17 November)'s Examiner celebrating a $500,000 donation to local charities by the Vos Group. Congratulations and thanks to both the Vos Directors and The Examiner for giving it the prominence it deserves.
Let's continue the struggle to see compassion extended to everyone in our community. Hopefully one day people with show the same passion for their fellow beings as they do now for the forests.
posted by Alan Melton @ 7:51 pm
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