Beyond blue National Workplace Program

Did you know...

• More than one million people in Australia experience depression, anxiety or related alcohol and drug problems each year.
• Depression is currently the leading cause of non-fatal disability in Australia, but only 3 per cent of the population identifies it as a major health problem.
• Each year, undiagnosed depression in the workplace costs $4.3 billion in lost productivity and this excludes Workcover/insurance claims, part-time or casual employees, retrenchment, recruitment and training.
• On average, every full-time employee with untreated depression costs an organisation $9,665 per year.
• Each employee with depression will, on average, take three to four days off work per month which is equivalent to over six million days lost each year in Australia.
  In addition to absenteeism, depression accounts for more than 12 million days of reduced productivity each year.
• Sixty-two per cent (62%) of people with depression don't get help for it.
• Research shows that implementation of early diagnosis and intervention programs can result in a five-fold return on investment as a result of increased employee productivity.
  Workplace stress is a significant risk factor for developing depression.

WCV's would like to know how much Jeff Kennett contributed to the above depression figures, by leaving injured workers out in the dark with no chances of re-employment or income opportunities to support themselves and their families.

Many injured workers develop depression while on workcover and many commit suicide whilst on workcover too, so how much responsibility should Mr Kennett be taking here? He lied to have the changes passed by the parliament and in doing so, has ruined the lives of many injured workers and their families, friends and colleagues.

WCV's finds it hard to see why Beyond Blue would have Mr Kennett as one of their ambassadors, considering the lives he has wrecked with his lies and deceit. We have not seen Mr Kennett stand up and be responsible for this mess called worksafe he created, nor has he ever apologised to the very people he effected.

Mr Kennett may suffer depression himself, but we here at workcover victims have no pity for him, as we believe that any type of depression he suffers from would be caused from a guilty conscience in which he carries from the lives he has destroyed during his time as Premier.

Shame on you Mr Kennett!!!!