Let’s just say that I am a Muslim woman of middle-eastern origin.  My husband and I have lived in Australia for 15 years.  We are the proud parents of a young son aged five.  Shahrdad is dark, charismatic and asks us lots of questions and we would do anything to protect our son.
We regularly travel back to Tehran to catch up with extended family and immerse our son in culture and language.

What will he have observed as the norm for him and his family by the time he is ten and the new anti-terror laws come under review? Will he think that all Australians spend anywhere up to three hours getting out of ’security’ at the airport after their arrival back from an overseas trip?  Will he learn from us that venturing out in our white van causes suspicion?
What I am to tell him of our chosen homeland when, at the sunset clause stage of these new anti-terror laws, he is 15 and he has been stopped again and again, since he was 13.

How will I explain assimilation to him when none of his ‘white’ friends want to go out with him as they are sick of getting stopped by the cops?

"[…] that a particular suburb, there’s a threat about to emerge from that, or you’ve got credible intelligence information that some group of people in a white van are going around the countryside and they’ve got explosives on board. It gives you the capacity to search any white van, for example, if you put this act into place. It gets an instant response from the police. Now the Federal Government’s not talking about that, but they should be." – Kim Beazley

And how am I going to explain the concept of an opposition to him without him laughing out loud?

The government’s new welfare to work change will cause future hardship for sole parents and the disabled (these two not being mutually exclusive).   Sole parents and the disabled who are put on to the Newstart allowance from next July will discover it attracts a waiting period for people with savings, a delay that doesn’t apply to the current Parenting Payment Single (PPS) or the Disability Support Pension (DSP).

Basically, a Centrelink payment keeps the bare necessities in your life.  Housing, food and clothing.  None of these are extravagant.  You will not find many PPS and DSP recipients with a Harbour view, unless they are 25 to a house.

Now this government will force them to use up their savings before they can get a Newstart payment.  If a PPS or DSP recipient has savings that will usually be to cover the unexpected.  A school excursion or a belt on the washing machine.

This government is mean and punitive.

I’m predicting that cash-under-the-mattress will return to favour.   

If you are wondering why Health Minister Tony Abbott was pressured into apologising for his insensitivity to a para suicide, consider this.

"Around one in six Australian men suffer from depression at any given time. From puberty onwards, women are twice as likely to experience depression than men. The experience of male depression is complicated by the fact that men are more likely than women to shy away from medical treatment of any kind. Instead of discussing psychological problems, or seeking appropriate treatment, men may turn to alcohol or drugs when they are depressed or anxious. The statistics for teenage boys and young men are a concern. In the past 30 years, the suicide rate for males aged 15 to 24 years tripled." – beyondblue

Whilst depression is not always present in suicide ideation or completed suicide, it is a contributing factor.

"There is strong evidence that mental health problems are major contributors to suicidal behaviours in people of all ages. Various studies, both in Australia and overseas have shown that more than 90% of people who committed suicide were suffering from some form of mental illness. This was the case across all age groups. Indeed, people with recognised mental illness are 10 times more likely to take their own lives than the general population. It is quite clear that having a mental disorder places a person, whatever their age, at considerably higher risk of suicide than the general population. One of the most common forms of mental illness associated with suicide is depression." –Lifeforce

 Jeff Kennett Chairman of beyondblue puts it best:

"beyondblue has been working very hard to destigmatise the illness, and one of the aspects of that is that we try and encourage people to understand that if they present the treatment and get the correct diagnosis, they can return to a very normal life. Mr Abbott’s comments were inferring or saying that Mr Brogden could not return to a political life if he so elected to do so."

Image from here

Peter Debnam the new NSW Liberal leader has announced one of his first policy agendas if his party wins office in 2007 is to shut down the Medically Supervised Injecting Centre (MSIC) in Kings Cross.
From MSIC’s website.

"The MSIC aims to reduce harm associated with illicit drug use by supervising injecting episodes that might otherwise occur in less safe circumstances such as public places or alone. Specifically, it is anticipated that supervising such injecting episodes will reduce the risk of morbidity and mortality associated with drug overdoses and transmission of blood-borne infections, while providing ready access to safe needle syringe disposal. It is also hoped that by extending the circumstances in which health professionals have contact with injecting drug users (IDUs) more, particularly those most "at risk", will be engaged with the health and social welfare system sooner than otherwise. No drugs are sold or kept on the premises. Registered clients receive clean needles and equipment, and advice about their health."

Debnam you hypocrite.
An alcohol user gets your prayers, but drug usage…there’s no compassion or understanding for them.
Alcohol and heroin are both listed as drugs that result in physical dependence.
One is ingested, one is injected, either way they both end up in the blood stream.
Is your problem your prejudice or your personal preference? Can we take our drugs in a gin bottle, but not in a syringe?

Alcohol and drug use (including heroin) can both feature heavily in a para-suicide’s premorbid state.

"The role of drug abuse is very important in reference to the suicide risk increase (Garland & Zingler, 1991). It has been established that suicide risk is much higher in relation with alcoholics than people in general (Lester, 1993). Statistics show that the attempt and success in suicide among alcoholics ranges between 6% and 30%, though the tendency is around 20% (Monras, Marcos & Ramón, 1992). Statistics show that alcohol and other drugs are consumed in 20% of overdose attempts. Furthermore, a significant number of individuals consume alcohol some hours before they attempt to commit suicide (Freeman & Reinecke, 1995). Monras, Marcos & Ramón report that 2/3 of men and 1/3 of women have been intoxicated before the suicide act."

"Suicide risk is not related only to alcoholics. Research shows that drug consumers have had suicide attempts ranging between 25% and 50% (Martínez & Coraminas, 1991). Data from Spain show that 1 out of 13 drug abusers under 18 have had at least one suicide attempt, and the proportion increases for ages 18 to 24, to 1 out of 4 (Martínez & Coraminas, 1991.)" – Leonardo Aja-Eslava.

The role of alcohol and other drug consumption can be summarised in 3 points.

1. Alcohol and other drugs determine a behavior deinhibition role to attempt suicide.
2. The existence of affective disorders prior to alcohol consumption can trigger the disorder; or alcohol and drug abuse can generate affective disorders.
3. Family, labour and/or social problems resulting from alcohol and drug abuse, may weaken the social support of the individual which increases the degree of vulnerability towards suicide.

Dichotomous distortions, the belief in diminished self efficiency, the perception of lack of control over circumstantial contingencies, when combined with other risk factors, such as alcohol or drug consumption, a weakened social support network, may trigger a high risk suicide situation, especially if a crisis is involved.

Debnam, if you are serious in your concern for the welfare of the opposition member for Pittwater and that of his family, then understand that harm minimisation will be employed by him and counselor to address his alcohol usage. He will need to adapt coping sretgies that don’e always involvealcohol. He will need support, undestanding and care. He will have good days and not so good days.

""Of suicide attempters 30-60% have blood alcohol levels of > 0.05 mg%." – Suicide and Mental Health Association International SMHAI

The MSIC is also a harm minimisation strategy. The difference when it comes to data relating to substance use and parasuicde come down to drug of choice. The MSIC offers a a drug user a safe, clean supervised place to use. They too need support, undestanding and care. They too will have good days and not so good days.

All citizens deserve the best in health opportunities and outcomes, this includes injecting drug users. When you consider your policies, don’t just focus on the personalised tragedy of your former leader, but also on all the lives of depressed, substance users. Men, women and their families, you don’t even know you are saving.
Bastard.

Image from here

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