News Stories

Coming on the back of the government’s announcement of a revision to the Better Access cuts, I commend Mental Health Minister Mark Butler for his willingness to discuss with us our concerns that seriously ill people would be left without the help they needed and for heeding the clear message coming from consumers, carers and health professionals.

He has listened, and responded in a way that will now allow for alternative programs to be further developed and implemented over the next year, mitigating the worst aspects of the changes to Better Access which took effect on 1 November.

Yesterday the Federal Court granted traditional owners native title rights over about 35,000 square kilometres of pastoral lands and national parks in the Gawler Ranges on upper Eyre Peninsula.

This eighth South Australian native title determination is one of the most comprehensive in the state to date.

The fact that the traditional Aboriginal owners now have the right to hunt, fish and camp and have a say in the management of this spectacularly beautiful part of South Australia is a great outcome – their connection to this land goes back many thousands of years.

I have given notice of a motion to disallow the government’s regulations which have cut the maximum number of sessions available under Better Access from 18 to 10.  I have taken this step in a bid to encourage the government to delay the implementation of the Better Access changes until the other services such as ATAPS and the youth mental health services are sufficiently geared up to take up the increased demand. 

Until recently suicide has long been the topic no media will touch. Yet more than 2000 Australians commit suicide each year and for every person who dies from suicide, another 30 attempt it.

For the most part, it’s a topic the media has been reluctant to cover for fear that highlighting the issue could prompt copycat acts or glamourise suicide in some way.