Leveraging the buying power of government to improve the mental health of Australians.
There are currently serious concerns about mental health in the construction industry. Every year 190 workers take their own lives, meaning workers are six times more likely to die from suicide than an accident at work. This stress is shared between both blue and white collar workers.
Many of the contributing factors to mental strain are the extreme deadlines and lack of mental health planning in government contracts and the procurement process.
In 2024, the NSW government launched an inquiry into the state’s procurement framework and practices with the intention of promoting “better social, economic and labor market outcomes”.
We see this inquiry as an important opportunity to highlight the significance of government procurement practices as a lever capable of significantly improving population mental health outcomes.
We are campaigning for changes which will see consideration of mental health given similar weight as other factors in the tender process – changing the incentives to leverage the buying power of government to improve the mental health of Australians.
Mental Health Crisis in Construction
A death every two days from suicide
- 1195 workers in the construction industry died by suicide in NSW between 2001-2019
- 20% of workers who died by suicide worked in construction
- Relationship breakdowns, addiction and other social harm
Workforce Shortages and Unnecessary Misery is Bad for Business
Dysfunctional culture that is costing billions
- Cultural issues costing nearly $8 billion annually due to workplace injuries, mental illness, suicide, long work hours and a lack of diversity
Government Processes Fuel the Fire
Politics drives budgets and timelines, not wellbeing.
- Tender processes cause harm
- Excessive hours and unreasonable workloads to comply with unrealistic budgets and timelines
- Political incentive to squeeze workforce