Tuesday, 10 September 2019

Ms SHING: I rise today to acknowledge World Suicide Prevention Day. As the World Health Organization notes, every 40 seconds around the world somebody will take their own life. This is something that here in Victoria we are doing so much to turn toward and to have difficult conversations about, including through a royal commission. But what I would want to do on a day like this is to acknowledge all of the grief and loss that is left behind when someone takes their own life as well as to encourage anybody who is having a tough time and who is considering self-harm or has suicidal ideation to seek help from the numerous supports and resources that are out there. It is always possible to keep going. The trick is to make sure that you have the people around you and the resources, support, care and love to give you what you need at a time of personal struggle.