One in five Australians experience mental ill-health in any year. The consequences of mental ill-health in rural and regional areas are far greater than in urban areas given that access to mental health services is substantially lower.
Rural Mental Health Services
It is unacceptable that the 30% of Australians living in regional, rural and remote Australia experience poorer health outcomes and limited access to essential health services than their urban counterparts. The Greens believe that this inequity must be addressed.
The 30% of Australians living in regional, rural and remote Australia have a right to access to health resources, including mental health resources. Rural Australians have a right to have a say in the matters that directly affect them.
It is for this reason that the Greens are asking regional, rural and remote Australians to have their say about the provision of mental health services available in their local community; to participate in the development of policy that directly affects them living in rural, remote and regional areas.
Penny Wright is touring rural, regional and remote Australia to talk to real people, on the ground, about the state of mental health services in their region.
Follow Penny's Rural Mental Health Services Consultation Tour.
Take a look at our rural mental health discussion paper and have your say on our online consultation webpage, or write to us at:
Rural Mental Health Services Consultation
Office of Senator Penny Wright
Level 13/100 King William Street,
Adelaide 5000
If you are feeling in distress, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
