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INTERVIEW: Leaving construction to fight the industry's mental health crisis

INTERVIEW: Leaving construction to fight the industry's mental health crisis

Despite the physical dangers of the job, the leading cause of death among construction workers isn't job site accidents.
It's suicide.
So what's fuelling it?
And what can you do if you or someone you know is struggling?
We've been unpacking the industry's hidden hazards with someone who's lived through them: Dr Simon Tyler, who now works as a psychologist helping to address the high rates of suicide within construction.
When we ran a shorter cut of this interview on the radio show, it had a huge response from people wanting to talk about it.
In this extended interview, Dr Tyler shares more of his insights and experiences, and also offers some advice.
And remember, Lifeline is there on 13 11 14.
Guest:
Dr Simon Tyler, psychologist and men's mental health researcher
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Health minister expects blindsided states to match $2 billion funding pledge for Thriving Kids
Health minister expects blindsided states to match $2 billion funding pledge for Thriving Kids

ABC News

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  • ABC News

Health minister expects blindsided states to match $2 billion funding pledge for Thriving Kids

The federal health minister expects the states and territories to match his $2 billion funding pledge aimed at moving children with mild to moderate developmental delays and autism off the National Disability Insurance Scheme, despite blindsiding them with the new program. Mark Butler on Wednesday used his first major speech since taking over the NDIS portfolio to outline the next stage of the scheme, including a tighter growth target of 5 or 6 per cent and a new Thriving Kids program. The program is the latest iteration of the federal government's efforts to establish so-called "foundational supports", a separate tier of services provided by the states through schools, childcare and health services for people with less profound disabilities. Two years ago, federal, state and territory leaders agreed to split $10 billion in funding for the program, imagined as a way to return the NDIS to it's original purpose of supporting Australians with profound and lifelong disabilities. Mr Butler on Wednesday made clear he expected the agreement would extend to the new children-focused program, as it covered one part of the original foundational supports plan and the funding is part of the initial $10 billion agreement. "I committed $2 billion on behalf of the Commonwealth yesterday over four years. The commitment by National Cabinet was that states would match that," he told 2GB. "Obviously not each of the states would do that, but collectively the states would put in $2 billion to that as well." But state and territory leaders stopped short of committing to a dollar figure a day after Mr Butler's speech, telling reporters they had not been consulted about the new program until it was announced. Victoria Premier Jacinta Allen said she was not told ahead of time, like "many states and territories", a sentiment echoed by the Western Australian and Queensland disability services ministers Hannah Beazley and Amanda Camm. "Today was the first time we'd heard about the minister's Thriving Kids program," Ms Camm said on Wednesday. "We look forward to continuing our work supporting the federal government given the NDIS is their responsibility." Meanwhile, New South Wales Premier Chris Minns told reporters he had been looped in ahead of time but without much warning. He said he would not "sign a blank cheque" for a program he didn't have the details of, but that he "will commit to working with the Commonwealth to have a sustainable disability support program". Ms Beazley said foundational supports was an "equally co-funded model" and she looked forward to continuing discussions, while Ms Allen urged the federal government to provide further details. "There are many families, particularly many parents, that have got many questions and I hope the federal government can move quickly to answer the many questions today," she said. Foundational supports was agreed to in 2023 and initially slated to begin by July 2025, but the rollout has been stalled and the services yet to be properly defined. The proposal focused on the provision of lower-level supports to be delivered outside the NDIS, in a bid to slow growth on the ballooning $46 billion scheme. Under the agreement, the federal and state governments would provide $10 billion in funding over five years, to be split equally along with any future costs. Mr Minns said he understood the need for an "updated plan". "They've looked at it and decided that having a different scheme in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria is really uneven, particularly lumpy and probably not sustainable," he said. The health minister used a media tour on Wednesday to assure worried parents of children on the scheme that they would not slip through the cracks. "I want to reassure them that we're not going to leave them high and dry," he said. "We're going to make sure that there is a well-designed scheme that gives them confidence that we're going to do everything we can to support their kids to thrive."

Next steps when someone shares they are experiencing domestic violence
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ABC News

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  • ABC News

Next steps when someone shares they are experiencing domestic violence

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LTR Pharma's ED spray makes peer-reviewed journal
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The Australian

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Tmax refers to the time it takes for a drug to reach its maximum concentration (Cmax) in the bloodstream after administration. The European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences is a leading international peer-reviewed publication that highlights high-impact research in pharmaceutical sciences and drug delivery. Publication in the journal requires rigorous peer review by independent scientific experts and represents significant third-party validation of clinical data quality. LTR Pharma said publication in the journal adds substantial credibility to LTR's regulatory dossier as the company advances towards full commercialisation. "This peer-reviewed validation marks a transformative milestone for LTR Pharma. We now have independent scientific confirmation that our technology delivers what ED patients have been seeking for decades - true spontaneity,' executive chairman Lee Rodne said. About the PK study The randomised crossover study in 18 healthy male volunteers compared SPONTAN nasal spray (5 mg vardenafil) with oral vardenafil tablets (10 mg). Key clinical findings included: Ultra-rapid onset – SPONTAN reached peak plasma concentration (Tmax) in a median of 10 minutes versus 45 minutes for oral tablets, with mean values of 12 minutes versus 56 minutes respectively. Superior efficiency – Despite half the dose, SPONTAN achieved higher bioavailability per milligram, with dose-normalised Cmax of 2.58 ng/mL/mg versus 1.67 ng/mL/mg for oral administration. Comparable duration – Similar half-life of ~4 hours for both formulations, supporting sustained therapeutic effect. Manageable tolerability – Safety profile consistent with the PDE5 inhibitor class, with no serious adverse events reported. While the study specifically evaluated SPONTAN, the PK data support the company's broader intranasal delivery platform for vardenafil, which also includes ROXUS. Both products leverage the same rapid-onset technology, providing LTR with multiple commercial opportunities in different market segments from a single validated drug delivery platform. Targeting increased spontaneity Importantly, the publication notes that current oral PDE5 inhibitors face significant limitations, including delayed onset of 30 minutes to two hours, reduced efficacy with food intake, and the need for careful timing around sexual activity. These factors contribute to discontinuation rates of ~4% per month, with lack of spontaneity cited as a primary reason for treatment abandonment. The study authors concluded that 'intranasally delivered vardenafil is associated with more rapid onset of action with similar plasma concentrations'. They said that 'this differential pharmacokinetic profile has potentially important clinical implications given the overall safety and efficacy profile of PDE5 inhibitors in the treatment of ED, especially in men seeking sexual spontaneity'. Chief medical officer Professor Geoff Strange noted the peer-reviewed publication provided robust scientific validation of SPONTAN's 'game-changing pharmacokinetic profile'. 'The data clearly demonstrate that our intranasal delivery technology achieves the desired therapeutic levels in under 10 minutes – addressing the spontaneity challenge that drives part of the 50% of patients discontinuing oral ED treatments within their first year,' he said. 'From a clinical perspective, this represents a fundamental advancement in how PDE5 inhibitors can be administered, with the potential to significantly improve treatment adherence and patient satisfaction." SPONTAN is currently available in Australia through the Therapeutic Goods Administration Special Access Scheme, while it is targeting approval in other key markets. LTR Pharma is advancing a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulatory submission via the 505(b)(2) pathway for SPONTAN approval with the US ED market valued at US$3.7 billion. The company said the journal publication strengthens its clinical evidence package for regulatory authorities. This article was developed in collaboration with LTR Pharma, a Stockhead advertiser at the time of publishing. This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions.

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