Minster for Regional and Western NSW, Tara Moriarty was in Broken Hill today – Wednesday – to , announce $289,000 of state funding to assist Lifeline Broken Hill Country to Coast expand their How’s Ya Mate program to other sports in the Silver City.
The Minister was at Alma Oval today where she announced the cash injection.
“We want to run programs across the state that work. We know that this one works, and that’s why I’m happy to be here today to commit more funding to it,” Minister Moriarty said.
“Where mental health support connects with sport, that can only be a good thing for communities.”
AFL Broken Hill has had a How’s Ya Mate round for the last several years and has attracted many high-profile AFL and AFLW ambassadors over the years. This year, Sydney Swans premiership player Tadgh Kennelley and former AFLW star Kirby Bentley came along.
“Here in Broken Hill, Lifeline does a terrific job and that’s why we’re very happy to partner with them locally,” Ms Moriarty added.
Such is the success of the program and partnership with AFL Broken Hill, Ms Moriarty did not rule out potentially using the program as a blueprint to implement similar programs with mental health organisations state-wide.
“Lifeline do a terrific job with mental health, and we’re very happy to look at rolling this out more broadly. There are fantastic mental health organisations that operate across the state and in different regional communities. So, as we look at these programs more broadly and assess what fits in each community, we’ll make that decision as we go,” the Minister said.
Lifeline Broken Hill Country to Coast Acting CEO, Marisa Picket, highlighted the crucial part sporting clubs play in Broken Hill.
“Sport is massive here and most kids, if they’re playing footy, they’re doing other sports too. It’s a huge sporting community. I’m thrilled. It is an amazing opportunity to expand the program.”
“We recently had our How’s Ya Mate round of football, at the Jubilee Oval. And there were hundreds of people there. So, to be able to roll it out into other sporting codes like the swimming club or the netball or the league is exactly what we want,” Ms Picket told the Truth.
