- Target:
- Michael Gunner, Minister for Mental Health Services
- Region:
- Australia
- Website:
- www.unitedconservatives.com.au
The United Conservative Party is extremely concerned with the state of the mental health care system in the Northern Territory.
Suicide rates in the NT are the highest in the nation and nearly double the national average. (1)
With proven statistics like this you would believe that Mental Health would be at the very forefront of the governments mind. But instead the NT government allowed the NT Lifeline call centre to close after refusing to increase funding by just $150,000 per annum. (2)
The situation is further compounded by the blatant neglect of suitable mental health services for its 5000 defence personnel. Any current or ex-service personnel in the Northern Territory suffering from PTSD, has to travel to Adelaide to receive suitable treatment. (3)
(1) http://www.ntnews.com.au/news/centralian-advocate/nt-suicide-rates-highest-in-australia-according-to-abs/story-fnk4wgm8-1226879078549
(2) http://www.ntnews.com.au/lifestyle/lifeline-closes-only-local-nt-call-centre/news-story/f558bea939e12a389cf389950a478c24
(3) http://www.ntnews.com.au/news/northern-territory/labor-spokeswoman-for-veterans-affairs-amanda-rishworth-shocked-by-the-state-of-veteran-services-in-the-northern-territory/news-story/4f7e6f6d5179cecbb2bb48b66595fbd1
We, the undersigned, call on the Northern Territory Government to increase funding to the Mental Health Portfolio to address the following urgent issues:
1. Lack of support for our current and ex-service personnel suffering from mental health issues such as PTSD.
2. The closing down of the Northern Territories local Lifeline office, despite suicide rates being much higher than the national average.
We request that the immediate action be taken;
1. We request that funding be reinstated to Lifeline in the Northern Territory so they can re-open their vital call centre.
2. We request that a mental health facility be opened in Darwin with suitably qualified people to provide care and treatment for our current and ex-service personnel including specialist treatment for PTSD.
You can further help this campaign by sponsoring it
The Increase Mental Health funding in the Northern Territory petition to Michael Gunner, Minister for Mental Health Services was written by United Conservative Party and is in the category Health at GoPetition.