Rural Women New Zealand is calling for more mental health support for rural communities, following Wednesday’s impassioned plea in Parliament by ACT MP Mark Cameron.

“We want to offer our heartfelt support to Mark Cameron for having the courage to stand in Parliament’s debating chamber and share his whanau’s grief after recently losing his son to suicide,” Rural Women New Zealand Board Chair Sandra Matthews says.

“The more we acknowledge and talk about these issues the better, as we know our rural communities are doing it really tough.

“There’s a wide range of issues at play in rural communities at the moment ranging from communities experiencing significant job losses from the closure or scaling back of major local employers, to public sector job losses in the regions,” she says.

“We also have communities grappling with the ongoing impacts and slow journey to recovery following Cyclone Gabrielle and the North Island extreme weather events; various communities facing ongoing drought; as well as farmers affected by low market prices at the same time as rising input and living costs.

“We welcome the Government continuing to rollout mental health support to primary and intermediate students in Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti.

“We also applaud the recent Government announcements to increase support for drought-affected communities and increase funding for Rural Support Trusts.

“Rural communities rely on volunteers and we know people are overwhelmed and at the risk of burnout from the plethora of issues they are having to face.

“With Mental Health Awareness Week just around the corner, we urge the Government to continue to invest in providing increased resources and access to rural mental health services, including counselling and medical assessments.”

Background

Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ) is a nationwide charitable membership organisation with a proud history over nearly 100 years of empowering and supporting women to be at the heart of rural communities. With regional branches across the country providing connection and support, we are recognised as a leader across the rural sector and provide a trusted voice on issues affecting rural communities.

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