A social enterprise providing education and information to protect and enhance the mental health of young people
Under the proposed amendment to the Racial Discrimination Act released by the government today anyone can racially insult or humiliate someone as much as they like. With extraordinarily broad exemptions, it will also be virtually impossible to prosecute anyone who does meet the Government’s extremely high bar for racial vilification and intimidation. It is a [...]
Australians are seen as nothing like the caring, friendly and hospitable mob so often assumed, with an extensive new survey of recent migrants reporting high levels of ethnic or religious discrimination. As the Abbott government prepares to strike down part of the racial discrimination law, the Monash University study has found many migrants regularly fear [...]
Yet again, Australia tops the list of happiest countries. I smile wistfully at the news that the Paris-based Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has determined—yet again—that Australia is the happiest country in the developed world. - Roff Smith via First Person: Happiness Is … Being an Aussie.
There are still a couple of weeks before most teachers in Australia will be returning to work. Many will not have given it a second thought as yet, and hopefully most will be looking forward to it, but some teachers will be dreading the return to the classroom. Burnout and other mental health related issues [...]
PISA panic and politics could really damage our schools. In the aftermath of the OECD releasing the 2012 results from the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), the Federal Education Minister, Christopher Pyne’s declared that, “PISA shows us that our education system is high-equity where socio-economic status matters less when compared to other OECD countries” Anyone [...]
Heavy drinking is increasing among the top 10 per cent of drinkers in Australia but the remaining 90 per cent of the population is drinking less, a study reveals. University of NSW researcher Michael Livingston said the finding could explain sharp increases in alcohol-related harm such as assaults and hospital presentations for intoxication, despite average [...]
Synthetic drugs will be outlawed in NSW under new laws that carry jail terms of up to two years and fines of more than $2000. The drug believed to have contributed to the death of Sydney student Henry Kwan is banned under the new legislation. The NSW government said the laws are the first of [...]
Officials say a new metric for measuring the economic and social progress of a nation is a ranking of happiness. via Happiness Profile Measures Progress of Nations | Psych Central News.
Suicide is the leading cause of death in Australia for men under 44 and women under 34. According to the most recent Australian data (ABS, Causes of Death, 2009) 2123 Australians died due to suicide that year. That equates to six deaths by suicide a day, or one every four hours. For every completed suicide [...]
A damning report has found the life expectancy for people suffering from a mental illness has not improved in 30 years. The finding is in stark contrast to the advances made for Australians suffering from illnesses like heart disease and cancer. Mental health expert Professor John Mendoza co-authored the report, which looks at mental illness [...]
