Tim Barritt, a livestock producer, is advocating for increased government funding and advertising campaigns for suicide prevention in Australia. He believes that such campaigns could reduce suicide rates significantly, as was seen with reductions in road fatalities due to past prevention campaigns. Currently, about 6 people die from suicide each day in Australia. Barritt has created his own ads to raise awareness and hopes to save an additional 670 lives per year through a 30% reduction in suicides. Support services emphasize the importance of seeking help from professionals if at risk of suicide.

1. NEWSWEEK
5STOCK JOURNAL ■ January 23, 2014
Campaign raises hope
on suicide prevention
By MIRANDA KENNY
B
AROSSA producer Tim Barritt
is the face behind a new sui-
cide prevention campaign
that he hopes will save lives.
Suicide is a taboo subject for
most but Mr Barritt believes state
and federal government invest-
ment in advertising could help to
halt death rates.
“Governments are not doing
enough,” he said.
“In Australia in 1970 the nation-
al number for road fatalities was
3800.
“In 2011 this had dropped by
almost two-thirds to 1270 – their
advertising had worked in a stun-
ningly successful way.”
Australian Bureau of Statistics
data showed that in the decade
until 2011, 22,342 people had com-
mitted suicide, equivalent to 6.22
people a day.
“Unlike the stunning reduction
in road fatalities there has been
no similar downward trend what-
soever in the past decade,” Mr
Barritt said.
“In fact the 2011 figure of 6.22
people a day is only 13 per cent
less than the low point of 1984.
“No similar target reduc-
tion is evident in the current
Taking Action to Tackle Suicide
$292.4-million initiative.
“A 30pc reduction – which in my
opinion is realistically achievable
– on the current 10-year average
of 2234 means that by 2024 we
can be saving the lives of 670 good
Aussies every year.”
Mr Barritt, who writes a bi-
monthly Male Box column for
a Gawler newspaper, said that
investing funds into suicide pre-
vention advertising could help.
He has already invested just
under $4000 in creating 30 adverts
in the past six months.
“I use love and humour and any
trick in the book to try and get
into people’s hearts,” he said.
“I’m not qualified in anything
except running sheep and a bit of
writing.
“My advice is not a substitute
for professional help – the first
line of defence if you or someone
else is at risk is to ring an emer-
gency number 000 or Lifeline 13 11
14 or Suicide Call Back Service on
1300 659 467.”
Mr Barritt said he had a “driving
passion” for saving lives.
“It’s my Quaker roots,” he said.
“There’s an old Quaker saying
which drives me today in every-
thing I do: ‘Thou hast a concern
– therefore thou must act’.
“I’m a very positive person and
I want to reach out and offer love,
help and support. That’s what my
ads are about.”
Mr Barritt said statistics showed
that for every one person who
committed suicide, six more were
severely impacted for the rest of
their lives.
“Someone has to get up and try
and do something,” he said.
Rural Business Support gen-
eral manager Kay Matthias said
a farm’s financial health could
impact on the mental health of
producers.
She said it was important for
producers to get help early if they
had financial problems.
“One of the things we find is that
people are really in the poo – so to
say – by the time they contact us,”
she said.
“Early intervention is so impor-
tant and can also help to reduce
the likelihood of mental health
problems from occurring.”
Ms Matthias said despite the
good season in 2013-14 there
was a significant level of debt
across the state.
“Banks seem to be more risk
-averse at the moment,” she
said.
“They tend to be putting the
pressure on at lower rates of debt
– which can create significant
problems for producers.”
She said financial health could
influence the mental health of a
primary producer.
“We’ve seen marriage break-
downs, self-harm, suicide watch,”
she said.
“I’ve said to the government
many times that we need a mental
health person on staff – during the
drought this was provided.
“People with mental health
problems or depression can’t
think straight, and aren’t in the
right frame of mind to be making
decisions.
“Health professionals seem to
think they have it covered – but
they don’t.
“I think it does need addressing.
“We need more people out there.”
There are 10 rural financial coun-
sellors based in regions across the
state, and two in Adelaide.
Ms Matthias said another coun-
sellor had been employed as part
of the Farm Finance Package –
which had received “considerable
interest” since starting in mid-
December.
She said producers affected by
the recent bushfires should also
get in contact to find out how they
could best access funding to help
with rebuilding.
•Details: Visit www.suicidepreventionads.
com. Contact Rural Business Support on
1800 836 211. For counselling support
contact your GP, local community health
centre, Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Suicide Call
Back Service on 1300 659 467.
■ High rate of suicides
■ Ring helplines if at risk
■ Early intervention can help
KeyPoints
CRUCIAL CAMPAIGN: Barossa livestock producer Tim Barritt says a 30pc reduction in
suicides on the current 10-year average of 2234 – which he says is achievable - means
that by 2024 the lives of 670 Australians could be saved every year.
National centre explores causes
A PROJECT on the impact of
death by an external cause
– suicide, accidental death,
homicide and other deaths of
unknown cause or intent – is
one of several projects being
studied at the National Centre
for Farmer Health at Hamilton,
Vic.
Research assistant Alison
Kennedy said the centre was a
fantastic place for “grassroots
research”.
“We’ve had huge results with
past projects,” she said.
Mrs Kennedy said the PhD
study started in 2012.
She said that by gaining an
understanding of their experi-
ence, researchers hoped to
develop a framework for under-
standing similarly bereaved
farming families in future, and
to help inform government pol-
icy and procedure for use in
health and community services.
“It’s quite an exploratory
study,” she said.
“The farming community are
a unique group of people and
quite stoic. People have been
incredibly supportive of the
study.
“We hope to gain an insight
into what support those com-
munities require.”
Mrs Kennedy hoped to speak
to 30 people as part of the study.
“Data collection has been
slower than anticipated,” she
said.
“We’re up to 11, so we’re get-
ting there. It would be nice to
talk to another couple of people.
“The way in which the study
is designed means that people
have to actively approach me.”
Mrs Kennedy said there were
statistics available but none
were very current.
“Current statistics are that
people from farming families
are 1.6 times more likely to
suicide than people living in an
urban area,” she said.
“The rate of accidental deaths
is also quite higher in regional
areas.”
The project has the support of
Jock Laurie, former head of the
National Farmers Federation.
Participation in this research
involves the completion of an
online survey questionnaire
and an in-depth interview,
which will be possible via
email, telephone or, where suit-
able, face-to-face.
•Details: For more information on the
project, or to discuss the possibility of
participating in the questionnaire in
another format, contact Alison Kennedy
on 0499 752 130, at the National Centre
for Farmer Health on 03 5551 8587 or
email akenne31@myune.edu.au.
– MIRANDA KENNY
Funds bolster SANTFA coulter project
A SANTFA project received a $326,700
boost on Monday with a Caring for Our
Country National Landcare Innovation Grant
announced for its water-jet coulter project.
The organisation’s Greg Butler said the
project aimed to cut hairpinning and boost
seed bed utilisation.
“Preliminary fieldwork with the Aqua-
Till machine has shown that the technol-
ogy can work exceptionally well as a liquid
coulter, especially in soft soils with wet,
ropey stubbles,” he said.
“However, the delivery mechanism
can be significantly improved, especially
through the integration of ground engage-
ment tools.”
Mr Butler said Aqua-Till demonstrations
had so far only used a water-jet and a PTO-
driven UHP pump on a tractor-mounted
tool bar.
“The machine has proven that Aqua-Till
can cut through weeds and stubbles, and
into the soil,” he said.
“But without any meaningful ground
engagement mechanism, it bounces around
and is far too inconsistent for meaningful
modelling and evaluation.”
Mr Butler said there had been plenty of
interest in the preliminary machine, with
600 producers viewing the technology.
The first year of the trial will focus on
designing and building the machine with a
focus on nozzle size and the best angle to
position the nozzle.
In the second year, Mr Butler plans to
conduct trials in NSW, Vic, Qld and SA, and
engage manufacturers in the technology.
“We know there is a lot of interest out
there,” he said.
Details: SANTFA will hold its annual
conference on Friday, February 21, at
Tanunda.
– MIRANDA KENNY
AQUA-TILL: Preliminary fieldwork with the Aqua-Till
contraption has shown that the technology can work
exceptionally well as a liquid coulter.
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