The Chief Coroner is to address a Federated Farmers meeting in Taranaki on the sensitive subject of rural suicide.

Neil McLean is the keynote speaker at Federated Farmers Taranaki Meat & Fibre section’s Annual General Meeting and Conference at the TSB Hub in Hawera on 28 April.

Neville Wallace, Federated Farmers Taranaki Meat & Fibre chairman says it is a ‘bit of a coup’ getting Mr McLean along to address a ‘taboo subject’.

“It’s an open forum. That is the best way I can describe it. It is to get people along to talk about it.

“It’s been a taboo subject for so long now that all of a sudden we are starting to wake up and realize that we can help people in times of stress. So I think the time is opportune.” 

Neville Wallace says that while farmers have had a pretty good year in terms of meat and wool prices, the last few years haven’t been kind. This year’s event is focussing on rural mental health, prevention and treatment issues’

“There is a high suicide rate and stress levels with farmers at the moment. Not only farmers but the wider community as well.

“Unfortunately suicide is not a publicised event. News papers are not allowed to openly report that someone has taken their life.  It is time to bring it out into the open and discuss it more fully.

“I engaged the chief coroner to come along and give us his view on things to bring the community together.”

Mr Wallace says that mental health and suicide is a problem across all segments of society and it is time to stop pretending it doesn’t happen to farmers too. He says all too often farmers pride themselves as the ‘staunch individualists of Kiwi legend’ and have trouble asking for help.

“ I want to bring it out into the open, I want everybody to know where they can go to get help 24/7, and I want to let them know that there are people out here in the community that can help and are willing to help."