1 September 2008
 
A WA Liberal Government will fund, develop and test a comprehensive WA State Suicide Prevention Strategy in a bid to stem the tide of 250 suicides a year – a number higher than the state’s road toll.
 
The strategy is a key plank of the Liberal’s practical approach to Mental Health. The strategy will have particular emphasis on implementing culturally specific Aboriginal suicide prevention measures but will also address suicide prevention across other vulnerable groups including young men and Western Australians who live in rural and regional areas of the state. 
 
“There are 250 cases each year, many in regional Western Australia, where people are taking their lives when they think there’s no way forward, yet Labor has paid this issue no attention,” Liberal leader Colin Barnett said.
 
“The human toll of Labor’s deficient mental health system extends beyond the high rate of suicide. Eight people who are active patients of mental health services die each week in WA.”
 
The Liberal’s Mental Health policy will also see the establishment of WA’s first Minister for Mental Health (separate from the Health Minister), implementation of a new Mental Health Act (promised by Labor by 2006) the appointment of a new WA Mental health and Wellbeing Commissioner to reform the Mental Health System to promote mental health and wellbeing, and bring the prevention of mental illness to the forefront of mental health services.
 
“Despite multiple $2 billion surpluses, the state of mental health in Western Australia is disgraceful,” Shadow Mental Health Minister Helen Morton said.
 
“A Liberal Government will deal immediately to improve the condition of Western Australia’s mental health system. Sufferers of mental illness, their families and their friends deserve a much better and much fairer deal than they have received after eight years of Labor Government.”
 
One in five Western Australians will suffer from some form of mental illness in their lifetime. Mental illness also affects the lives and wellbeing of the families and friends of sufferers.
 
A Liberal Government will:
 

• Appoint Western Australia’s first Minister for Mental Health
• Appoint an independent WA Mental Health and Wellbeing Commissioner to conduct a comprehensive review and recommend reform of the mental health system to develop a mental health safety net of services which meets the needs of patients and their support networks. 
• Spend $13 million in the first two years of government to develop and test a comprehensive WA State Suicide Prevention Strategy
• ntroduce a New Mental Health Act based on the review of the old Mental Health Act 1996 (completed in 2004) and the 6 month report of the new Mental Health and Wellbeing Commissioner, will be tabled in parliament to enshrine the rights of mentally ill people and ensure that they are treated with respect and dignity.
• Tender out to a non-government organisation, to establish and maintain a peak mental health consumer voice in WA. This will be funded from within existing mental health resources.