CONSTITUENCY STATEMENTS
Mental Health
Boyd, Mr Darius
BUSHkids
May, Mr Andrew
Mr BATT (Hinkler—Deputy Nationals Whip) (10:08): Are you okay? That’s the No. 1 question to be asked today across Australia. Today is Suicide Prevention Day, a day of action encouraging all of us to have meaningful conversations. I was proud to be a peer support officer in the Queensland Police Service for over 15 years and also a mental health first aid officer. Having lost too many mates to suicide, I, like so many, recognise the importance of days like today. More than 3,300 Australians are taking their own lives every year. Seventy-five per cent are men.
Today I applaud the many wonderful organisations in Hinkler doing their bit to ask, ‘Are you okay?’ every day. It’s the men’s and women’s walk-and-talk groups in Hervey Bay. It’s Brave Brothers of Bundaberg listening to and working with men before it’s too late. It’s Bridges, headspace and Lifeline. It’s Fraser Coast Mates and Empowering Connection. And it’s legends like Nick and Brooke from Hervey Bay, who are behind You Good? Clothing, with the motto ‘wearing your care on your sleeve’. These are just some of the groups on the ground in regional electorates like Hinkler making a difference, and governments must step up too. The measure of success must be lives saved.
A strong advocate for mental health support is the Queensland Maroons new head coach. I want to take this opportunity to congratulate league legend and all-round great bloke Darius Boyd on his recent appointment to the role of Queensland’s new Origin coach. Darius has always been a wonderful backer of community organisations in my electorate of Hinkler, from local school chaplaincy programs to family support and mental health organisations. In his role as BUSHkids Ambassador, he’s showing up again this weekend at the annual agricultural field day Agrotrend in Bundaberg.
Speaking of BUSHkids, I’d like to congratulate CEO Carlton Meyn, the board, friends of BUSHkids and staff for developing and launching their new model of care. The ‘windmill for change’ is at the heart of the initiative. It serves as a symbol of how BUSHkids continues to help Queensland children to grow, learn and reach their potential. Their purpose is to make the early years count.
After almost 30 years working in the gruelling media industry, one of Hinkler’s favourites is about to switch off the camera and fold up the tripod for the final time. Andrew May worked for BTQ-7 in Brisbane for 13 years before his past 16 years working for Channel 7 in Wide Bay. From the local sporting grand finals to the stories of tragedy and triumph, floods and fires, you never knew when the call would come in from ‘Andy the camo’. Andrew says he’ll miss telling the stories of everyday people through his art. Andrew is an exceptional cameraman and a great bloke who particularly in recent years has become a jack of all trades, often subbing in for the journalists who are getting thin on the ground. I wish him all the best in his next chapter, and I certainly will miss seeing him at local press conferences. Cheers, Andy.