Last week was Mental Health Week in Western Australia. Mental health is a matter very close to my heart, so I wanted to share a word or two on it.

Each year, one in five Australians will suffer from a mental illness. We aren’t talking about some rare occurrence here, this is widespread. Mental illness doesn’t differentiate depending on financial situation, looks or success in life. It can strike any one of us at any time. So isn’t it time we break down all barriers and engage in open, honest discussion?

The good news is that there is lots of great work being done in our state to encourage a focus on mental health. In particular, there are heaps of events going all through October.

I believe that if we all cooperate, we can help each other improve mental health. When you see a friend, a coworker, a sibling, an extended family member looking a bit down, please take the time to reach out and ask how they are going. This small act of kindness might be the point of light they desperately need to start the journey towards better mental health.