No funding for The Gap

Woollahra Council has been left stunned by a federal government decision not to fund its suicide prevention project at Sydney’s most notorious suicide spot, The Gap.

This is the second time the council’s request for $2.1 million of federal assistance has been denied, with the government citing a “national oversubscription of applications”.

Woollahra Council has already committed $700,000 to the project, which includes improving lighting, building new fences and providing on-site emergency telephones and signs. The council is unable to continue funding these much-needed upgrades on its own.

Woollahra mayor Andrew Petrie said he was appalled at the lack of regard for this life-saving project.

“I just don’t understand how the Federal Government can turn their back on mental health in our community and a project that has the potential to save lives,” he said.

“If $2.1M is too much for the Government to give us to save even one human life it has lost its heart and it has turned its back on the thousands of people devastated by depression and mental health.”

At least one person a month dies by jumping from The Gap. Lifeline 13 11 14.