This week, another mother took her own life. That is two mothers in one month in Adelaide, South Australia. That's too many.

We know that suicide is the leading cause of maternal death is Australia.
Yet nobody really talks about it.

Suicide is a stigma in Australia but suicide in mothers is an even bigger one.

Australian mothers are not ok. We are struggling and suffering in silence.
When a mother tells you that she is tired, she is not whinging but crying for help.

We have been asking for help, signalling that we need more support but the support is not there.

We have a new government so we have a chance to change the system and create a better one.

-  We need a system that actually sees mothers, hears mothers and supports mothers because mothers are the primary carers in the early years - 90 % of the time.

-  We need a system that supports mothers through conception and fertility issues.

-  We need a system that allows mothers to rest after the birth of child

- We need a system that helps mothers recover from birth trauma and still birth.

- We need a system that checks on mothers as well as babies

-  We need a system that welcomes all mothers who wish to join a mothers group whether they are a first time mother or not
 
-  We need a system that includes all mothers because postnatal depression doesn’t discriminate

-  We need a system that focuses on mental health & suicide prevention in mothers

-  We need a system that funds grass roots organisations dedicated to support the mental health of mothers

-  We need a system that provides bulk billed therapy for all mothers without a 6-12 months waiting period

- We need a system that recognises the importance of having a health & wellbeing centre that supports mothers in the early years (and beyond)

So today with this petition, we are asking our government to form a task force that includes mothers, grass roots charities for mothers like Villagehood Australia and other family organisations to discuss how we can create a system that better supports the health & wellbeing of mothers in Australia.

It is important that mothers lead the conversations that are about mothers. “Nothing About Us Without Us” 

By signing this petition you are helping us be heard.

Thank you

Dinah

Founder of Villagehood Australia 

- Registered Charity with ACNC