Lifeline Mid Coast spokesperson and Life Matters Coordinator, Lee-Ann Foord said $18.1 million of this amount will support Lifelines 24 hour national crisis line to be able to take more calls, for calls to Lifeline from mobiles to be toll-free, and for Lifeline to establish access to dedicated help lines at suicide ‘hotspots’.

“This will make sure there’s always someone at the end of the line,” Ms Foord said.

“As the Prime Minister acknowledged, we tragically lose 2000 Australians to suicide every year. In fact suicide is the leading cause of death for young people in Australia.

“Lifeline’s telephone crisis volunteers talk to over 1200 Australians every day on our 13 11 14 service. For lots of these people, the only place to turn is Lifeline.

“The govenrment’s announcements are in response to the recent Senate Inquiry into Suicide in Australia.

“The government has listened and responded to many of the recommendations from this report,” Ms Foord said.

Meanwhile the CEO of the Rural Doctors Association of Australia, Steve Sant, also welcomed the announcement.

“While the incidence of mental illness in rural and remote Australia is similar to that in the city, the outcomes are often significantly worse because of difficulties in accessing treatment,” he said.

“Suicide rates are up to 30% higher in the bush than the city, with many rural and remote regions of Australia showing suicide rates above 15 per 100,000 population compared to the national average of 11.8.

“It is good to see additional support being provided to frontline community workers such as financial, legal and relationship counsellors to better identify and respond to those at risk of suicide, and additional funding to enable improved access to respite for the carers of those with severe mental illness.

“We also welcome the establishment of an annual National Report Card on mental health and suicide prevention.

“The funding announced today is still a long way short of what is required, but it is a step down the right path,” Mr Sant said.