Senator Abetz is proposing legislation that could potentially curb my political opinions and those of anybody having any.
One of the reasons that blogs and sites such as JOHN HOwarD LIES.COM are so popular is because voters that want to read a less sanitised media are naturally drawn to the world wide web.
Clamp down and I will just slide off – HoWARd lies style…
If asked I’ll say:
“Suki Lombard was not my core identity”
This is primarily because CD work by its very nature is hard to quantify. It can also be too political. We are now assessing everything we spend healthcare money on (and I’m all for due diligence). But how can we prove that putting support in place today and maintaining that support and building resilience and strength can help 23 people in 3 years from now? What of recurring biyearly funding applications that demand to see snapshots and outcomes?
Let’s just use Autism Spectrum Disorder as an example. You are the carer of a 3 year old child who has been diagnosed with severe Autism Spectrum Disorder. You have an older child who is at school. Naturally you want your children to go to the same school. You make some enquiries and find that the Education department can support your child into mainstream education, but there is a two year waiting list to find and train the right support person for your child.
You hear about the local ASD support group which was started by the CD worker attached to your Community health centre and attend. You hear similar stories from other carers. You begin a letter writing campaign to your local MP. You hold stalls in the local community and raise money to buy paints and cardboard to write placards to take on the bus you hire to attend State parliament to agitate for recognition, funding and change…
CD work, not too popular with governments who prefer to keep like-minded people separate because to put them in one place creates the impetus for structural change and they can’t be having any of that.
This new money will address the most acute cases and probably reduce completed suicide rates, however, I’m with Professor Hickie that this will do very little to improve the day to day lives of those that live in our community struggling with non-acute mental health issues.
If we assess data from the Women in Australia 2004 report released by Kay Patterson, the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women’s Issues, the current state of the mental health status of Australian women is of particular concern.
Older Australian women present with the highest rate of anxiety disorders with 16% of women 45-54 years of age reporting Agorophobia, Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Panic Disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Social Phobia (page 172).
This data is also disturbing when we look at overall mental health figures for women. Women have higher rates (than men) of mental and behavioural problems (page 171).
These include Bipolar Affective Disorder, Depression, Dysthymia, Hypomania and Mania (page 173).
I wonder how much of a causal link can be drawn between mental health wellness and workforce participation.
With outcomes such as these The Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Act, introduced into Parliament on 22 September 1999, replacing the Affirmative Action Act 1986 gathers much dust under the Prime Minister and his Minister assisting.
I would advocate for more mental health initiatives starting with the tripling of Community health centre funding. CHS centres could offer stress relief massages, reading and blogging groups and other ‘pampering’ events.
Workplace counseling options could be expanded to include a monthly ‘celebrating achievements’ session. Mentoring programs, a real commitment to work-life balance…
"All truth passes through three stages.
First, it is ridiculed.
Second, it is violently opposed.
Third, it is accepted as being self-evident."
-Arthur Schopenhauer
I promise I will look at everything that is delivered by courier to me.
I will leave the security, logistics and cost of it all up to my Boss, but I am available from 8 pm until 10 pm every evening.
Yours Sincerely,
Suki Lombard
Australian Public Servant
In a meeting with Mr HoWARd, Family First chairman Peter Harris and Victorian senator-elect Steve Fielding pressed for Government concessions on a lengthy list of issues. One such issue, raised by Peter Harris could mean pressure to end (or put a time limit on) the current policy of indefinite detention,
"Stealing someone’s life by keeping them in detention for many many years is something that is not acceptable any longer, so we’ve lobbied the Government on that basis and they are very receptive to that issue."
This leaves me feeling slightly better about the new Senate.
