Key’s legacy

On a recent TV current affairs show, the topic was the recently published national suicide rate, which had tragically gone up yet again. I watched as Dr John Crawshaw (the director for the office of mental health and chief advisor to the government) was interviewed. Even though the interviewer did his best by reframing his questions, on and on, still Dr Crawshaw managed to remain evasive.

‘‘No,’’ Dr Crawshaw said, ‘‘I don’t have the figures for total suicides last year in our country. I can’t keep figures inside my head’’.

And so he proceeded to sit there shaking his head, eyes half-closed, not saying anything more in answer to further questions being asked by the persistent interviewer.

I had reason to deal with Dr Crawshaw in November 2015, whilst living in Manawatu. The Mid Central DHB had broken my trust, wouldn’t acknowledge their responsibility, then promptly withdrew my counselling and finally discharged me from CMHS without any forward planning or contact with family/friends. In desperation, I approached Dr Crawshaw and his team, asking for intervention and advocacy, but no, it turned out they weren’t on my side, they were ‘puppets’ towing the government line. So, no support for the public there, and when I saw Dr Crawshaw on the TV that night, I could not believe that:

- He was so ill-prepared for a nationwide interview.

- He showed to the country that he did not care.

- He could and should have produced some figures (even if they were a year behind the coroner).

I feel that, we should all be standing up for ourselves and shaming the current government, and especially the immediate past Prime Minister John Key, for the legacy he left our country with, ie the highest suicide rates that our country has ever known in its entire existence.

Heather Lewis

New Plymouth