Page 4395 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 25 October 2017

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We accept that there has been mixed practice in this place. Certainly in recent times it has been the practice to suspend. Equally there have been occasions, as noted in the companion, where Assembly business has continued. Of course, the no-confidence motion must come up first thing next Thursday. We will support that happening; I do not think there is any dispute about that. But we do not see any need to suspend business for the work programmed for tomorrow and next Tuesday and Wednesday. We will not be supporting the suspension.

Question put:

That standing orders be suspended.

Ayes 6

Noes 9

Mr Coe

Mr Wall

Mr Barr

Mr Ramsay

Mrs Dunne

Ms Burch

Mr Rattenbury

Mrs Kikkert

Mr Gentleman

Mr Steel

Ms Lawder

Ms Le Couteur

Ms Stephen-Smith

Ms Lee

Ms Orr

Question resolved in the negative.

Mental Health Week

MR RATTENBURY (Kurrajong—Minister for Climate Change and Sustainability, Minister for Justice, Consumer Affairs and Road Safety, Minister for Corrections and Minister for Mental Health) (6.41): I would like today to speak about Mental Health Week, which was held in the ACT from 8 to 14 October this year. Throughout Mental Health Week we made an effort to raise community awareness and understanding of mental illness, reduce the stigma and discrimination associated with people living with mental illness, and promote positive mental health and wellbeing. This year’s theme was “Stronger together”, and was about reminding people of our shared responsibility to reach out and support those in our community who are doing it tough.

Conversation, understanding and connection with others are simple things we often take for granted, yet people struggling with mental health issues can find themselves isolated, lonely and left to cope on their own. “Stronger together” is about society being fully inclusive of people with mental health issues and seeing the experience of mental ill health as something that builds resilience and makes us stronger.

One in five Australians is affected by mental illness every year. This makes it almost inevitable that someone close to us—ourselves or someone in our friendship circle or workplace—will be affected by poor mental health at some stage in our lives. We can all play a role in reducing the stigma around mental illness by encouraging those around us to seek help when they need it. There is certainly no shame in asking for help. That was a very important message of Mental Health Week.

In particular this year, with the debate around marriage equality, many LGBTIQ families are finding the public debate on the legitimacy of their relationships

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