In a heartfelt letter, a boy who lost two of his friends who committed suicide at a lookout known as “suicide point” begged his council to build a fence.
Cooper, a 17-year-old local, has been advocating for the construction of a guard rail at Pat Morton Lookout at Lennox Head in the Northern Rivers area of New South Wales.
Cooper lost his buddy Lily Dowling, 13, in September 2020 and his classmate Hamish Ingram, 14, on May 8.
The 17-year-old addressed a letter to Ballina Mayor Sharon Cadwallader in which she referred to the viewpoint as a “suicide place.”
At Pat Morton Lookout in Lennox, “two individuals I’ve had close ties with have ended their lives at this exact same place,” Cooper writes.
There have also been further mishaps, not to mention additional probable suicides that have not been made public.
Because it was so close to his school, Xavier College, Cooper expressed concern that additional teens might try to commit suicide there.
The point is that it’s not safe, and it’s really concerning to have something like this next to a school where young children are highly inclined to make foolish judgments.
They fail to realise that depression is quiet. People don’t go about proclaiming their desire to pass away; instead, they engage in internal conflicts.
Therefore, a more workable answer is required. A guard rail or a phone that connects directly to the lifeline were on my mind.
Cooper pleaded with the council to take swift action and said that he would be “disappointed” if he didn’t hear back.
“The sooner we act, the more probable it is that future lives will be saved.” Another person leaps, and because we did nothing, the blood is on our hands.
A fence was “in the pipeline,” according to Cr Cadwallader, who also claimed that she had unsuccessfully attempted to get one constructed after the most recent suicide.
When she presented the proposal to the council, all but one vote were in favour of it.
According to Cr Cadwallader, she had a conversation with police about the possibility of placing a voice-activated camera.
Therefore, she said, “police can really speak to them, and that can buy some time until someone comes.”
“It’s awful not only for the individual who loses their life and their family; it’s tragic for first responders as well.” Mental health affects everyone.
Cr Cadwallader said that there were several elements to take into consideration before providing a timeframe for when a fence will be built.
The location of the fence is rather risky, therefore a marine-grade fence is required, she added.
We have a serious labour and talent deficit, as you are aware.
“Our team at Ballina Council is really compassionate, and I know they will do everything in their ability to expedite this process,” said one employee.