THE way we respond to suicide is not working in rural Australia – and a Senate inquiry is heading to Mount Isa to see how we can fix it.
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A public hearing into mental health services will be held by a Senate inquiry in Mount Isa this week.
The hearing is scheduled at Red Earth Hotel from 9.30am to 5pm on Wednesday.
A report released late last year showed rural suicide rates are more than 50 per cent higher than in the capital cities.
Labor and the Greens passed a motion earlier this year to set up an inquiry looking into mental health services in the bush.
The inquiry, which is travelling around Australia, has heard about everything from chronic staff shortages to stigma and the struggle for anonymity in small towns.
The inquiry is investigating whether there are enough services in the bush and identifying some of the barriers that are stopping people from seeking help.
Gidgee Healing, Mount Isa City Council, Glencore and the Queensland Mental Health Commissioner will all be providing submissions to the inquiry on Wednesday.
Neither state MP Robbie Katter nor federal MP Bob Katter are providing submissions to the inquiry on Wednesday.
