"When we say check in on people, it doesn't mean, "How are you doing mate?" It means sitting with them, forgetting your own chores and troubles for a few minutes and really tuning in. Are they slightly tense? Are they not sleeping? Are they worried about a problem not getting solved? Do they feel like they have failed or are failing? Do they feel like a burden in some way? Suicide is not caused by a single catastrophic event, it is a series of events which build up and make life unmanageable. Look for those things. Look for the little things that are building up to become an unbearable load. Ask about them. This is no time for being delicate. Cut to the chase. Be fearless. If you want to save a life, you need to be present—to see the problem, and then be fearless and direct in addressing it. Be vulnerable yourself, and tell them how you feel about them. Most of all … believe your gut. If you think there is something wrong—there probably is. Don't be fobbed off with "I'm fine". Make a conversation happen. Lives are at stake." Andrew Logan

Feral Animal Aerial Shooting

The Hon. SCOTT BARRETT (14:18): My question is directed to the Minister for the Environment. Noting that the Minister's response to my supplementary question for written answer indicated five domestic horses at Thurloo Downs were the only horses removed—meaning shot—that day, does the Minister still maintain that the horses had joined a mob of wild horses and were with them when they were culled?

The Hon. PENNY SHARPE (Minister for Climate Change, Minister for Energy, Minister for the Environment, and Minister for Heritage) (14:19): No, of course I do not. I have been very—

The Hon. Wes Fang: So you misled us?

The Hon. PENNY SHARPE: Do you want the answer or not?

The Hon. Wes Fang: You did. You misled us.

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. PENNY SHARPE: I want to be clear here: I have been very up-front about the issue. I have also made it clear to the House that what I knew at the time was preliminary information, which I have subsequently and accurately reported to this House. Any suggestion that I have misled the House is absolutely incorrect. If the Hon. Wes Fang actually read something occasionally, he might realise that I take the information that I provide to the House. The other thing I could do is take it on notice then not try to provide an answer. Ministers cannot win either way with those opposite. We try to answer the question. We try to be very up-front about the information that we have at the time and indicate that it may or may not be correct. We do that all the time. If those opposite do not like that, that is fine. I am happy to take questions on notice, let those opposite wait, and not try to answer the question. Unfortunately, I cannot help myself. I like to try to answer the question, because I think Ministers need to front up when things have gone wrong. In this case, things have gone terribly wrong.

What I can say is that invasive species control measures were being undertaken at Thurloo Downs Station, a large property of around 470,000 hectares that is going to become a national park. An incident occurred during that time where the workers who had been there for a couple of days shot five domestic horses that were owned by the next‑door neighbours. The National Parks and Wildlife Service has been in constant contact with the owners. I can inform the House that it is talking about compensating the family for what occurred. There is nothing good about it—it is a terrible outcome—but it is wrong to suggest that the Government has tried to hide it. It is wrong to suggest that the National Parks and Wildlife Service and I as the Minister are not unhappy—furious, in fact—about what has happened. We need to work through that. I stand here and own up to it. I expect the National Parks and Wildlife Service to do the work. My advice is that it has been in constant contact with the family and is looking at how it can compensate them. There is a proper review underway. It is an unfortunate incident. It is being addressed as best it can be, given the terrible outcome.