Inquiry into Aboriginal Youth Suicides

Inquiry status:

Past

Date commenced:

22 Mar 2016

Tabling date:

17 Nov 2016

Deadline for submissions:

13 May 2016

Date Ended:

17 Nov 2016

Committee

Education and Health Standing Committee (2013 - 2017)

House:

Legislative Assembly

Important Information:

Terms of Reference:

That the Education and Health Standing Committee will, in recognising the motion moved by the Member for Kimberley on 16 March 2016, inquire into and report on ‘what more can be done to halt the worrying number of suicides among Aboriginal youth in Western Australia, particularly in remote communities, and to determine what resources have been set aside to tackle this crucial issue facing the State’.

In particular, the Committee will examine:

(a) The status of previous inquiry recommendations related to Aboriginal youth suicide in remote areas.

(b) The allocation of resources to current Aboriginal youth suicide prevention strategies and services in remote areas, and the effectiveness of these strategies and services.

(c) The gaps in strategies and services available to reduce Aboriginal youth suicide in remote areas and ways to address these gaps, including broader mental health strategies and services.

Submission Number	Submitting person/organisation
	Mr Wes Morris (Centre Coordinator, Kimberley Aboriginal Law and Culture Centre) received on 23 Mar 2016
	Ms Marika Eggington received on 30 Mar 2016
	Ms Eva Lenz (Director and Founder, Resource Centre for Personal Development) received on 14 Apr 2016
	Ms Lorna McGregor (Chief Executive Officer, Lifeline WA) received on 13 May 2016
	Ms Chris Kane (General Manager, Strategy and Policy, WA Primary and Health Alliance received on 13 May 2016
	Dr Anne Poelina (Nyikina Traditional Custodian and Director of Walalakoo Body Corporate - Native Title) received on 11 Jun 2016
	Mr Wes Morris (Coordinator, Kimberley Aboriginal Law and Cultural Centre) received on 9 May 2016
	Griffith Law School Students, Griffith University received on 13 May 2016
	Ms Megan Mitchell (National Children's Commissioner) and Mr Mick Gooda (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner) Australian Human Rights Commission received on 13 May 2016
	Mr Richard Weston (Chief Executive Officer, Healing Foundation) received on 26 May 2016
	Mr Gerry Georgatos received on 22 May 2016
	Dr Dave Palmer (Community Development Programme, Murdoch University) received on 13 May 2016
	Mr Jonathan Carapetis (Director, Telethon Kids Institute) received on 13 May 2016
	Ms Dahlia Messiha (WA State Director, Australian Christian Lobby) received on 16 May 2016
	Ms Fiona Kalaf (Chief Executive Officer, Youth Focus) received on 20 May 2016
	Professor Allan Fels AO (Chair, National Mental Health Commission) received on 20 May 2016
	Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia and the Youth Affairs Council of Western Australia received on 20 May 2016
	Mr Mark Glasson (Executive General Manager Service Operations, Anglicare WA) received on 13 May 2016
	Beyond Blue Ltd received on 13 May 2016
	Mr Colin Pettit (Commissioner for Children and Young People WA) received on 3 May 2016
	Mr Dennis Eggington (Chief Executive Officer, Aboriginal Legal Service of Western Australia Inc.) received on 12 May 2016
	Ms Susan Murray (Chief Executive Officer, Suicide Prevention Australia) received on 13 May 2016
	Mr Ralph Addis (Director General, Department of Regional Development) received on 1 Aug 2016
	Ms Sharyn O'Neill (Director General, Department of Education) received on 19 Aug 2016
	Dr D J Russell-Weisz (Director General, Department of Health) received on 4 Aug 2016
	Dr D J Russell-Weisz (Director General, Department of Health) received on 19 Aug 2016
	Ms Raina Washington (Headspace) received on 6 Jul 2016
	Ms Sharyn O'Neill (Director General, Department of Education) received on 12 May 2016
	Mr Peter Conran (Director General, Department of the Premier and Cabinet) received on 2 Aug 2016
	Mr Timothy Marney (Commissioner, Mental Health Commission) received on 30 Aug 2016
	Mr Ralph Addis (Director General, Department of Regional Development) received on 28 Sep 2016
	Mr Ralph Addis (Director General, Department of Regional Development) received on 19 Oct 2016
	Mr Peter Conran (Director General, Department of the Premier and Cabinet received on 18 May 2016
	Mr Des Martin (Chief Executive Officer, Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia) received on 22 Sep 2016
	Mr Martin Bowles PSM (Secretary of the Department of Health - Australian Government) received on 23 Sep 2016
	Mr David Smith (Acting Director General, Department of the Premier and Cabinet) received on 7 Sep 2016
	Mr Ralph Addis (Director General, Department of Regional Development) received on 30 Sep 2016
	Ms Emma White (Director General, Department for Child Protection and Family Support) received on 9 Sep 2016
	Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia received on 12 Sep 2016
	Dr Tracy Westerman (Managing Director, Indigenous Psychological Services) received on 12 Sep 2016

Unless a venue is specified, hearings are held at the
Legislative Assembly Committee Rooms, Level 2, 2 Parliament Place, West Perth

Date	Time	Venue	Organisation	Witness
07 Jun 2016	09:00 AM	Broome Council Chambers	Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services Council (KAMSC) and Headspace Broome	Rob McPhee (Deputy CEO, KAMSC), Michael McKenzie, KAMSC) and Raina Washington (Manager, Headspace Broome)
07 Jun 2016	10:15 AM	Broome Council Chambers	Kimberley Aboriginal Law and Cultural Centre (KALACC) and the Yiriman Project	Wayne Barker (KALACC Festival and Cultural Events Coordinator) and Scott Herring (Yiriman Men's Officer)
07 Jun 2016	11:30 AM	Broome Council Chambers	Kimberley Mental Health and Drug Service	Bec Smith (Regional Director, WA Country Health Services - Kimberley), Bob Goodie (Kimberley Mental Health and Drug Service Manager), Dr Murray Chapman (Clinical Director) and Vernon Dann (SSAMHS Coordinator)
07 Jun 2016	01:45 PM	Broome Council Chambers	Aarnja	David Wirken (CEO)
07 Jun 2016	04:00 PM	Broome Council Chambers	Alive and Kicking Goals!	Peter Mitchell (Chief Executive Officer, Men's Outreach Service) and Vennessa Poelina (AKG Program Manager)
10 Jun 2016	09:00 AM	Shire of Wyndham - East Kimberley Offices	Kimberley Mental Health and Drug Service	Terry Howe (Kununurra Mental Health Team Leader
10 Jun 2016	10:00 AM	SWEK Offices	Kununurra Waringarri Aboriginal Corporation and KALACC	Elisabeth Stewart (KWAC General Manager), Carol Hapke (Community Action Plan Coordinator) and Merle Carter (KALACC Women's Chairperson)
10 Jun 2016	11:30 AM	SWEK Offices	Boab Health Services	Dr Nicole Jeffery-Dawes (Mental Health Professional)
10 Jun 2016	01:30 PM	SWEK Offices	Anglicare Standby Suicide Response	Karri Ambler
20 Jun 2016	09:30 AM	Legislative Assembly Committee Office - Meeting Room 1	Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Evaluation Project	Professor Pat Dudgeon, Ms Adele Cox and Mr Gerry Georgatos
20 Jun 2016	11:15 AM	Legislative Assembly Committee Office - Meeting Room 1		Mr Gerry Georgatos
12 Sep 2016	09:30 AM	Legislative Assembly Committee Office - Meeting Room 1	Aboriginal Health Council of WA and the Youth Affairs Council of WA
12 Sep 2016	10:45 AM	Legislative Assembly Committee Office - Meeting Room 1	Indigenous Psychological Services	Dr Tracey Westerman (Managing Director)
12 Sep 2016	12:00 PM	Legislative Assembly Committee Office - Meeting Room 1	Telethon Kids Institute and Menzies School of Health Research	Professor Jonathan Carapetis (Director, Telethon Kids Institute), Professor Sven Silburn (Clinical Psychologist and Researcher, Menzies School of Health Research), Professor David Lawrence (Researcher, Telethon Kids Institute) and Mr Glenn Pearson (Head, Aboriginal Research, Telethon Kids Institute)
12 Sep 2016	02:00 PM	Legislative Assembly Committee Office - Meeting Room 1	Department of Aboriginal Affairs
12 Sep 2016	03:15 PM	Legislative Assembly Committee Office - Meeting Room 1	Department of Regional Development	Mr Ralph Addis (Director General) and Mr Grahame Searle (State Reform Leader, Regional Services Reform Unit)