Suicide rates hitting a devastating ten year high should jolt the Government into implementing a national suicide prevention target whilst addressing what else we need to be doing, Australian Greens Senator Rachel Siewert said today.

“At a time when so many people are working hard to focus on mental health and suicide rates, it is devastating that suicide rates have hit a ten year high.

In the lead up to World Suicide Prevention Day Australian Greens Mental Health spokesperson Senator Rachel Siewert is calling on the Government to adopt a national suicide prevention target.

“For the past 10 years, the suicide rate in Australia has not dropped. Action is needed to address the tragedy of people talking their own lives.

“The theme this year is connect, communicate and care, as Suicide Prevention Australia points out, these three words are at the heart of suicide prevention.

The Greens say it is deplorable that Abbott Government's health cuts will lead to the loss of an $8 million community care program and force mentally ill patients in South Australia to spend more time in hospitals.

Australian Greens spokesperson on mental health and Senator for South Australia Penny Wright said that the government has pulled the rug out from under this program that works, has been cost-effective, and significantly improves the lives of South Australians.

Senator WRIGHT (South Australia) (17:05): I do thank the Minister Ley for her response, but in her response to the resolution the minister refers to her decision to give a 12-month funding extension to so-called front-line mental health services. While mental health organisations did welcome this funding extension, it is not by any means a long-term solution. It came far too late for many.

Senator WRIGHT (South Australia) (17:50):  I rise to take note of a response given by the Minister for Health, Ms Ley, to a resolution of the Senate of 3 March 2015 relating to the mental health of those living in rural Australia and their ability to access mental health services. I move:

That the Senate take note of the response.

I move that the Senate-

(a) welcomes, after significant delay, the release of the National Mental Health Commission's Report of the National Review of Mental Health Programmes and Services, which found:

(i) mental health care in Australia often comes too late, is fragmented, fails to prevent crisis situations, and often does not take into account a person's broader social needs,

(ii) inadequate responses to significantly higher rates of mental distress, trauma, suicide and intentional self-harm among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and