Celebrating Sixty Years of Lifeline

The Hon. AILEEN MacDONALD (10:08:01):

I move:

(1)That this House notes that:

(a)by 2023 Lifeline will have been in operation for 60 years, having been founded in 1963 by the late Reverend Dr Sir Alan Walker;

(b)Lifeline was established as a result of Sir Walker's personal experience of working with a patient who later committed suicide as a result of their struggles with mental illness; and

(c)the 24-hour crisis support line, which seeks to address the link between isolation, lack of support and suicide, now answers more than one million calls per year from those in need of support.

(2)That this House further notes that:

(a)Lifeline continues to expand, recently setting up a face-to-face presence in the New England area, firstly through opportunity shops in 2021, and in 2022 with face-to-face counselling services and partnerships with the University of New England; and

(b)the aim of this service is to support people who may be experiencing difficulty by connecting them to crisis support, accessible referral services and education to support community capacity building.

(3)That this House commends Lifeline as Australia's leading suicide prevention service, formed through a partnership of 10,000 committed volunteers in member centres, of which there are 41 located in communities around the nation.

(4)That this House recognises the importance of this service and the vision of Lifeline to achieve an Australia free of suicide, and that no person has to face their darkest moments alone.

(5)That this House urges individuals in need of support to contact 13 11 14.

Motion agreed to.

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