FOUR CORNERS 'Brute Force'
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-06-01/brutal-force-four-corners/106746408
In 2020 I started this Petition to gain support to get Australia has Mental Health Emergency added to our TRIPLE ZERO 000 grid.
Over 36,000 people have since added their names. This includes people with Lived/Living Expertise, Carers, friends, family members, emergency service workers, politicians, students, Paramedics, mental health and disability professionals, members of the public.
We all agree - mental health emergencies are unique - and can happen to EVERY SINGLE PERSON you know. They must have professionally trained First Responders and allied support to attend situations of people in complex mental health crises.
Currently, mental health emergencies reported to 000 have Police or Paramedics as First Responders, backed up by mental health worker as a Secondary Responders.
Police say this is because 'we're the only ones trained to deal with suicide and people behaving violently due to mental illness' (as stated to me by a Senior Constable).
We all know the Paramedic service is beyond capacity so it's more likely Police will turn up at your home if you have schizophrenia, suicidal or the call is made by someone you don't know.
It's now June 2026.
We're seeing the same abhorrent, inhumane treatment of mental illness crises by some members of Australia's Police Force.
If you are manhandled into a Police vehicle or Ambulance, you're dropped off at the local hospital emergency department. The Police might stay with you until you're seen if you're behaving violently - usually due to Police being your first response to your health crises. Paramedics usually do not stay in ED as they're needed elsewhere. The wait in Triage usually starts the whole process again.
To me and all my peers, it comes down to this question:
Do you think people re-living trauma deserve more care during times of acute mental, spiritual, emotional, environmental, social and cognitive overwhelm, than younger men in tactical uniforms involving weapons and restraints (and physical violence as seen on such TV stories as the Four Corners episode)?
What a TRIPLE ZERO 000 MENTAL HEALTH OPTION LOOKS LIKE:
- You contact Triple Zero 000 for yourself, a family member/friend, neighbour or person on the street;
- You're given an option: Police, Fire, Ambulance, Mental Health;
- You say Mental Health. You're put through to your local area Crises Emergency Treatment Team (CATT - already in operation), now also staffed by Carer and Lived Experience professionals;
- you have an option to request the First Nations worker on duty;
-you have the option to request the Cultural worker and/or Translator on duty;
-you have the option to request an Auslan Interpreter/Deaf professional.
A team of professionals in civilian dress (not scary uniforms with weapons on display) arrive on scene and skilfully work with the person in distress. They stay with them to the hospital (if needed).
It will take money to fund this practice. But it's far more economical, universally humane and better use of emergency workers, than the current situation.
The key point of having Mental Health Emergency on our Triple Zero grid, is one word:
DIGNITY.
Sign if you agree.
Heidi Everett