Thursday, 18 August 2022

Western Victoria Region

Mr MEDDICK (Western Victoria) (12:35): (1923) My question is for the Minister for Mental Health. Last week one of our beloved native animals, a kangaroo, was found bound and decapitated in a Ballarat gutter. She was discovered by two street cleaners going about their normal employment, who were understandably distressed by the sight. Let alone the horror experienced by the kangaroo, coming across a headless and tortured individual can have significant mental health effects on those who witness such atrocities. A recent study conducted by award-winning parliamentary intern Kyahl Anderson determined that the effects of the killing of kangaroos reaches into 16 ministerial portfolios. One hundred per cent of participants in a University of Melbourne study experienced negative mental health states from witnessing kangaroo killing and its aftermath. What will the Minister for Mental Health do to ensure that people in my electorate have the appropriate support to deal with the unique psychological impacts caused by witnessing animal cruelty, torture and death?