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Suicide "emergency" still needs funding: Oxfam

4 February 2009 - A men's crisis centre will be set up to address the high Indigenous suicide rate in Narrogin.

In a situation described by international aid agency Oxfam as an ongoing "emergency", Narrogin has had eight suicides - six of them Aborigines - and four attempted suicides by men aged 20 to 31 in the nine months to October last year.

Oxfam's emergency funding for a visiting psychologist at Narrogin ran out last Saturday.

The agency called on the State government to fully fund the service.

As up to 50 Aboriginal and community leaders met in town today, Mental Health Minister Graham Jacobs announced a men's crisis centre would be established for the community.

It would be a place men could go to take time out and have access to culturally appropriate support, he said.

"The Narrogin community identified the clear need for a men's crisis centre," Dr Jacobs said.

"Today's announcement will provide this valuable community mental health facility to support Aboriginal men in the town."

The WA Department of Health would provide $36,000 to furnish the centre and a plan was being developed to coordinate the number of government and non- government agencies involved.

Wednesday's meeting in Narrogin was attended by Dr Jacobs and Health and Indigenous Affairs Minister Kim Hames.

Darryl Kickett from the Aboriginal Health Council of WA welcomed the move.

"The provision of a house is extremely important and probably should be applauded," Mr Kickett said.

"We're having ... community members attempting suicide every week here and we've been talking to this government and opposition since June last year."

There was no mention in the minister's statement of ongoing funding commitments, he said, with up to $200,000 per annum needed over the next few years.

Oxfam said the government statement responded only partially to the community's needs.

"Our understanding is that the community has asked for four full-time Aboriginal community counsellors to work with the (visiting) psychologist," Oxfam Australian director of policy James Ensor said.

"This is clearly the community's expectation and we see no reason that the government cannot respond to that request."

The causes of the high male death rate - racism, discrimination and a lack of employment - were identified at a community meeting in Narrogin in October last year.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice and Race Discrimination Commissioner Tom Calma attended the October meeting, which heard calls for a coronial inquest into the suicides.

The gathering also identified a need for steps to encourage Indigenous students to complete high school, deal with health concerns and improve interactions with police.

Source: AAP

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