Individuals and organisations with experiences in tackling mental health issues and suicide are invited to make submissions to a new parliamentary committee reviewing how bushfires and the pandemic have changed the needs for support services.

Federal Member for Macquarie, Susan Templeman, who has been appointed to the committee, said the experiences of professionals and residents in the Blue Mountains and Hawkesbury who have suffered the dual events of bushfires and Covid would provide useful insight for the inquiry.

“There are a number of reviews of the current mental health system, with a range of recommendations, and it’s the committee’s job to see if those recommendations are still fit for purpose,” Ms Templeman said.

“Residents in areas like the Blue Mountains and Hawkesbury know first-hand the challenges that the bushfires and pandemic brought about, with many finding themselves navigating the mental health system for the first time. These insights are invaluable.

“People have experienced isolation, job loss and financial stress, and several mental health support providers have told me demand for their services has skyrocketed. Just this weekend, two local services have told me about the demand in their areas for suicide crisis support rising sharply, and another service says demand on their team is up 300 per cent from pre-fires.

“As a member of this committee, I will be helping to review the findings of several reports into mental health – including the recent Productivity Commission Inquiry and the newly released Victorian Royal Commission – and also looking at mental health and suicide prevention initiatives that have been rolled out successfully, from grassroots services to international programs.

“The