Page 3480 - Week 12 - Tuesday, 11 October 1994

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This is an issue which I think, Madam Speaker, may need to be dealt with by the Third Assembly, maybe even by way of a committee inquiry at that time. The problem is that one person taking his or her own life is a wasted opportunity which, with the right approach, we might just be able to prevent. While our suicide rate stands above zero, in my view it is too high. Canberra has lost more people to suicide than to road accidents in the last 10 years. While we have made our community aware of the dangers of driving badly and recklessly, I do not think we understand enough about the causes of suicide and how to handle the social problems that flow from it. I hope, Madam Speaker, that the Assembly will take up that challenge of finding out what those causes are and what those problems are in the future.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Assembly adjourned at 11.18 pm

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