Newsletter date: 16 August 2015, last updated 7:00am AEST
Contents:
* Analysis / Opinion: Claire Moodie, ABC News: Dockers' high flyer Michael Walters hopes to tackle Indigenous suicide problem
* Analysis / Opinion: Claire Moodie, ABC News: 'Great inequalities' faced by Indigenous Australians
* Bio: Claire Moodie - ABC News: http://www.abc.net.au/news/claire-moodie/6013110
* Analysis / Opinion: Colin Tatz, The Conversation: We need to move beyond the medical model to address Indigenous suicide
* Bio: Colin Tatz - The Conversation: https://theconversation.com/profiles/colin-tatz-110102
* Compilation: Jens Korff, Creative Spirits: Aboriginal suicide rates
* Bio: Jens Korff - Creative Spirits: Who am I?: http://www.creativespirits.info/about/#toc4
* WGAR Background to Suicide and Self-harm in First Nations Communities
* Crisis Support - Talk to Someone - 24-hours/day 7-days/week:
Lifeline - Crisis Support and Suicide Prevention: 13 11 14 https://www.lifeline.org.au/Get-Help/
Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467 https://www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au/
Beyond Blue - Talk it through with us: 1300 22 4636 http://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/get-immediate-support
WGAR News postings on Indymedia Australia: https://indymedia.org.au/newswire
WGAR News Public Google Group: https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=en-GB#!forum/wgar-news
WGAR News - Working Group for Aboriginal Rights (Australia)
- Analysis / Opinion
ABC News: Dockers' high flyer Michael Walters hopes to tackle Indigenous suicide problem
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-08-15/footballer-to-become-indigenous-su...
15 Aug 15: "One of the most prolific goal scorers in the AFL, Michael Walters, has another grand ambition even more challenging than winning the Premiership. The 24-year-old is fighting to bring down the number of Indigenous suicides in his home state of Western Australia. When he addresses crowds as part of his new role as suicide prevention ambassador, the talented forward speaks from the heart. His good friend, Josh, who he calls his "brother boy", was just 17 when he took his own life. ... The role is part of an ambitious State Government plan, Suicide Prevention 2020, which commits to halving the number of suicides in Western Australia over the next 10 years. ... " By Claire Moodie
- Analysis / Opinion
ABC News: 'Great inequalities' faced by Indigenous Australians
[scroll down page to end] http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-08-15/footballer-to-become-indigenous-su...
15 Aug 15: "Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention project organiser Gerry Georgatos welcomed the program, but warned underlying causes of the high Indigenous suicide rates urgently needed to be addressed. "There are great economic inequalities, racial inequalities," Mr Georgatos said. ... "He [Michael Walters] will inspire many young lives and he'll turn them around and that's a good thing. "Every life that you can change and improve, that's a powerful legacy to have. "But we can't have the expectation that Michael will be able to deal with the tsunami of poverty-related issues that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people feel." By Claire Moodie
- Bio
Claire Moodie - ABC News
http://www.abc.net.au/news/claire-moodie/6013110
"Claire Moodie joined ABC News in Perth as a reporter in 1997 and has since reported for 7.30, produced the state current affairs program Stateline and spent eight years covering Kimberley issues based in Broome."
- Analysis / Opinion
The Conversation: We need to move beyond the medical model to address Indigenous suicide
https://theconversation.com/we-need-to-move-beyond-the-medical-model-to-...
10 Aug 15: "Despite efforts to prevent suicide among Indigenous Australians, especially the young, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander suicide rate is at least twice as high as – and in some instances, such as at Mowanjum near Derby, 100 times – the national rate. ... The medicalised model of suicide asserts that all suicide must be the result of some form of mental illness and is therefore treatable – even curable – if only we could find the right pill or talk therapy. ... An increasing number of respected scholars now condemn the pathologisation of distress and unhappiness and advocate considering the social contexts of suicide. ... " Author: Colin Tatz, ANU Visiting Professor, Politics and International Relations at Australian National University
- Bio
Colin Tatz - The Conversation
https://theconversation.com/profiles/colin-tatz-110102
"Colin Tatz is a visiting professor in Politics and International Relations at ANU, and a director of the Australian Institute of Holocaust and Genocide Studies. ... A quiet hatred of intolerance is a recurring theme in Colin's life's work as a historian. His monograph Genocide in Australia: By Accident or Design? was be published in 2011 by the Monash Indigenous Centre."
- Compilation
Creative Spirits: Aboriginal suicide rates
http://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/people/aboriginal-suic...
"Suicide was unknown to Aboriginal people prior to invasion. Appalling living conditions and past traumas have led to a suicide rate that by far exceeds that of non-Aboriginal people."
"In this article:
* Selected statistics
* "Death is our life" - Aboriginal suicide is at crisis levels
* Australia’s Aboriginal suicide epidemic
* Why do Aboriginal people kill themselves?
* Effects of suicide
* Overcoming the suicide crisis
* Get help"
By Jens Korff, Last updated: 22 July 2015
- Bio
Jens Korff - Creative Spirits:
Who am I?
http://www.creativespirits.info/about/#toc4
http://www.creativespirits.info/about
"I am a curious and creative person of Australian-German descent. This site is home to my various creative activities including writing, photography and poetry. It’s main focus is now Aboriginal culture. This site is not about me. It’s about things you can explore and learn about. I hope you enjoy this website. If you feel you should tell me something, just drop me an email to the address provided below. Be curious. Always. It’s a spice of life." Cheers, Jens
- Background
WGAR Background to Suicide and Self-harm in First Nations Communities
https://indymedia.org.au/2014/12/24/wgar-background-to-suicide-and-self-...
(last updated: 25 July 2015)
- Crisis Support - Talk to Someone - 24-hours/day 7-days/week:
Emergency:
For immediate assistance when life may be in danger
Call 000
https://www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au/emergency
Lifeline's 24/7 hotline
13 11 14
Crisis Support and Suicide Prevention services
https://www.lifeline.org.au/Get-Help/
Suicide Call Back Service
1300 659 467
Twenty-four hours a day seven days a week
The Suicide Call Back Service provides free nationwide professional telephone and online counselling for anyone affected by suicide.
https://www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au/
Beyond Blue
1300 22 4636
Depression. Anxiety.
Talk it through with us, day or night
http://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/get-immediate-support
Useful national contact numbers - Suicide Prevention Crisis Contacts
http://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Suicide_Pr...
Mens Line
1300 78 99 78
MensLine Australia is a professional telephone and online support and information service for Australian men
http://www.mensline.org.au/
Kids Help Line
1800 55 1800
aged 5 - 25 yrs
http://www.kidshelp.com.au/
- - -
WGAR: Working Group for Aboriginal Rights (Australia)
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