[Greens-Media] Greens Call for Govt to give Lifeline Adelaide a Lifeline

[Franks, Office]

Greens' spokesperson for Health & Mental Health Tammy Franks MLC has called for the State Government to provide funding for the work of Lifeline Adelaide's suicide prevention program. South Australia is the only state where Lifelines' central suicide prevention program doesn't get government funding.

"On World Suicide Prevention Day it is timely we recognise the vital work that Lifeline does.

The organisation has answered over half a million calls in the past year - with one new call every fifty seconds, many of them from people struggling with mental health issues and looking for help regarding suicidal feelings and intentions.

"Australia has one of the developed world's highest suicide rates and with suicide the leading cause of death for males under 44 and females under 34, far too many face the bereavement and tragedy suicide brings.

"Lifeline's 24/7 services, including suicide prevention, mental health support services and an online Crisis Support Chat, are inundated with people seeking help, yet disturbingly Lifeline Adelaide gets no state government funding at all for its telephone help lines.

"It is vital that Lifelines' important work is not compromised by a lack of funding. It already makes extensive use of volunteers, with some 11,000 Australia-wide and over 800 volunteers in SA undergoing training in Certificate IV in Telephone Counselling in the last five years alone.

"Whilst we recognise and celebrate the work of these unsung heroes, it's critical that the vital work of Lifeline Adelaide, a non-profit NGO that relies heavily on community support, also needs to be resourced adequately by government to ensure that they have the ability to deal with the workload and that lives are not lost for lack of resources, or support.

"With more than six suicides a day in Australia and as many as 180 attempts, it's clear that Lifeline's work providing suicide prevention services is vital in reducing the tragic loss of life through suicide in the community.

"I hope the Minister for Health John Hill MP will take the lead and act today to ensure Lifeline Adelaide is funded as well as its interstate counterparts to continue its vital work assisting the community.


For further comment contact  Jamnes Danenberg 0457 549 938