Suicide is WA's top teen killer

Dr Rosanna Capolingua. Picture: file image Source: News Limited

SUICIDE is now the most common cause of unexpected death among WA teenagers.

The revelation contained in a new report has already triggered a major investigation into youth suicide by the WA Ombudsman, The Sunday Times can reveal.

Eminent health experts say the fact that suicide now outranks car crashes and illness as the leading cause of sudden death among 13 to 17-year-olds was a cause for alarm.

Child death review data shows 39 per cent of youths from this age bracket who died suddenly between July 2009 and June 2013 took their own lives. This compares with 29 per cent from car crashes and 14 per cent from medical conditions.

"The Ombudsman (has) decided to undertake a major own-motion investigation into youth suicide," a spokeswoman for Ombudsman Chris Field said on Friday.

Responsibility for child death reviews was transferred to the WA Ombudsman in 2009. The state coroner is required by law to notify the Ombudsman of any unnatural, unexpected or violent deaths of children.

Of the 123 child death notifications for teenagers received by the Ombudsman since 2009, 48 involved children taking their own lives, including one child aged 13 and 18 children aged 14 or 15. Almost two-thirds were from the Perth metro area. One-third were Aboriginal.

Rosanna Capolingua, chair of the Governing Council for Child and Adolescent Health in WA, said she feared statistics for the second half of 2013 would be even worse.

"Something significant is happening to kids in that age group in WA and maybe across Australia for them to take their lives and we know that social media plays a big role in this," she said.

"I think parents are aware, doctors are aware, but sometimes we don't know what to do. As well as the bullying, social media encouraged children to dwell on negative emotions, such as pain and suffering. Suicide is heralded as a wonderful thing (on social media)."

She said early intervention was needed and we needed to "bust the myth" that talking about suicide would make the problem worse.

Michael Gannon, the AMA WA vice president. Source: News Limited

Australian Medical Association WA vice-president Michael Gannon said WA's mental health system was "collapsing."

"In the whole state we have got eight (mental health) beds available at PMH and another 12 beds available at Bentley and that's all we've got for adolescent patients," he said.

"Not only is there a reasonable amount of evidence that life just gets more stressful as every generation goes on and more difficult, these are also young people who unfortunately are increasingly exposed to illegal drugs which are extremely powerful in their effect on the brain and there is a higher rate of mental illness in people who are using illicit drugs."

Mental Health Minister Helen Morton said the causes were complex.

"We are working to ensure young people can access a dedicated youth-friendly stream of care and not fall in the gap between child and adolescent services and the adult system," she said.

Opposition Health Spokesman Roger Cook said he was "alarmed" by the figures, while Lifeline WA chief executive Fiona Kalaf said "families were often unsure about how to navigate the maze of mental health services."

Lifeline 13 11 14 (24-hour telephone service) crisischat.lifelinewa.org.au (online chat service)

Kids Help Line 1800 55 1800 (24-hour telephone service) www.kidshelp.com.au

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A hazy Sunday for Perth

Perth is shrouded in the smoke of a Denmark bushfire. Source: News Limited

Justin Gilbert was mussel gathering on the South Perth foreshore with the smoky Perth skyline in the background. Source: News Limited

Perth is shrouded in the smoke of a Denmark bushfire. Source: News Limited

Perth is shrouded in the smoke of a Denmark bushfire. Source: News Limited

Picture of the smoke haze across Perth. Picture: Kale Michael Heyes Source: Supplied

Picture of the smoke haze across Perth. Picture: Kerryn Briody Source: Supplied

Picture of the smoke haze across Perth. Picture: Ross Kirby Source: Supplied

PERTH'S lazy Sunday turned hazy this morning when a blanket of smoke covered the city.

The Department of Parks and Wildlife issued a smoke alert for areas from Walpole to Geraldton and inland to Toodyay and Mount Barker.

Did you take a snap of the smoke? Send it to us at readerpics@perthnow.com.au or tweet us - @perthnow

The smoke is from a bushfire that started in Mount Roe National Park, approximately 28km north-west of Denmark, on Friday.

The smoke is expected to clear by tomorrow morning.

If the smoke is thick, people should shut their doors and windows and turn off air-conditioners.

People with asthma and pre-existing respiratory, cardiovascular illnesses or diabetes should follow their pre-prepared treatment plan.

Smoke may reduce visibility on some roads and motorists should take care, turn on headlights and travel at appropriate speeds when travelling in these areas.

People with conditions exacerbated by smoke should take precautions in line with their medical advice for these circumstances.

More to come.

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Prisons minister points at Serco in escape fallout

Two prisoners who escaped at Geraldton Airport are violent and should not be approached, WA police say.

A NOTORIOUS rapist allowed privileges at Christmas and another fugitive were captured overnight as Corrective Services Minister Joe Francis was last night trying to contact the rape victim to apologise for the debacle.

The shambolic escape also resulted in Corrective Services chief James McMahon yesterday cancelling all non-essential prison transfers.

Cameron John Graham, 22, sentenced in November to 11 years jail for brutally raping a mother, escaped from custody after being flown from his Perth prison cell to Geraldton to be close to his family for Christmas.

Graham and another prisoner, Kelden Edward Fraser, 23, were captured after police used a plane to find their bush camp in the Mullewa area, near Geraldton.

Officers were deployed to the camp where they arrested Graham and Fraser just after 1am this morning.

The men were taken to Geraldton Police Station and have been returned to Greenough Regional Prison. Police say charges will be laid in "due course" and the pair will appear in Geraldton Magistrates Court later this week.

Mr Francis told The Sunday Times that he was "gobsmacked" to learn notorious rapist Cameron John Graham had been flown from Perth to Greenough Regional Prison at taxpayers' expense to be closer to his family for Christmas.

In a press conference today, Mr Francis said he understood the van door was unlocked and the prisoners were not handcuffed.

He also said he had not yet received a formal briefing on the incident, but that he was certain that would happen this week.

The brutal rapist was only a month into his 11-year jail sentence for a crime a judge found "difficult for a reasonable human being to comprehend."

Mr Francis said he felt for Graham's victim, who has subsequently left the country following the ordeal.

When Graham broke into the woman's home on January 15 last year he threatened to murder her children.

He then forced her to undress before repeatedly raping his terrified victim in her walk-in robe.

Afterwards he ordered her to drive to a nearby cash machine and withdraw $400.

"I am endeavouring to contact her and keep her informed and say I'm sorry for what happened," he said.

"I was gobsmacked when I found out he (Graham) had been flown to Greenough.''

"It wasn't until this happened that I even knew the department moves prisoners around the state to make things easier for their families to visit.

"The move for him to go to Geraldton wasn't sanctioned by me as minister or the Commissioner (prisons' boss James McMahon). Clearly the people who made the assessments on this got it wrong. I am led to believe it was some senior prison officers who made the decision. I am trying to find out (who)."

Mr Francis denied he had been missing in action yesterday as the fallout from the scandal continued. The Sunday Times understands he was moving house.

Earlier, acting-Premier Kim Hames appeared curious earlier in the day about his colleague's whereabouts when he was left to face questions from the media.

Dr Hames said: "I don't know where he is. He is not my responsibility."

"I don't know the circumstances behind Joe not being able to talk today. The Minister has a full understanding of the implications of his responsibilities as a Minister. It's up to him to make those decisions and up to the Premier to make judgments on whether those decisions are accurate or not."

The escape has increased heat on Serco, the private company responsible for prisoner transfer.

In a thinly-veiled threat to the contractor, Corrective Services Minister Joe Francis told The Sunday Times last night: "Of course I am disappointed in Serco. They are skating on thin ice.''

He also said today that if the company were good 'corporate citizens', they would foot the bill of the manhunt.

In the wake of the security failure, Commissioner McMahon also ordered a review of the prisoner transfer process, as the State Opposition called for a parliamentary inquiry into the debacle.'

Mr McMahon said that as a result of the incident only prison transfers approved by him would go ahead.

"At the department we take this very seriously. Our ultimate job is to provide safety to the community," he said. "We failed. The ultimate responsibility for that is me. Let me very clear about that."

He added: "I think it is an outrage. I am going to get to the bottom of it."

Mr McMahon also put Serco on notice. Serco was transporting the escapees.

"There have been a number of incidents that have come across my desk that have involved Serco," he said.

"Do I have concerns? Absolutely I do. And I am reviewing that in its entirety.

"I will be making my point very strongly and clearly to Serco that the minimum requirement I require of any organisation that are trans-porting people from a custodial perspective is that it needs to be done securely."

Opposition spokesman for corrective services Paul Papalia said yesterday Labor would move a motion calling for the inquiry when parliament resumes next month.

Mr Papalia said it was "inconceivable" that one month after starting his jail term Graham would be transferred from maximum security at a Perth prison - believed to be Hakea - to medium-security Greenough Regional Prison to be closer to his family for Christmas.

Mr Papalia said that Graham did not deserve the festive season perk and the "risks were too high''.

Mr Papalia said: " Corrective Services minister Joe Francis needs to provide the community a full explanation as to why this perk was allowed.

"When parliament resumes we will attempt to have this investigated and (we) want the government's support.

"In this case, it would appear the prisoner was transferred to Greenough so that his family could go and see him in prison - just one month after he was sentenced.

"This is a guy (Mr Francis) who chases publicity for self promotion and spin but is shy when there is an issue. I will be writing to the Minister and asking him for the specific process that occurs for transfers of Mr McMahon said a detailed investigation was also being conducted by Serco.

Mr Papalia said Serco should also be part of the inquiry.

"Serco has had a series of failures in the past few months,'' Mr Papalia said.

Graham was being transferred back to Perth on Friday when he kicked the door out of a prison van at Geraldton airport and stole a rental car at 1pm.

Fraser, 23, on remand at Greenough for alleged armed robbery, also escaped with him.

The car allegedly stolen by the pair was found bogged 39km north of Mullewa.

Police officers had resumed the search at first light yesterday after reports the escapees were seen refuelling at a BP service station in Cue, 651km northeast of Perth, about 8.30pm on Friday.

They were seen by police travelling along Great Northern Highway but disappeared 15km north of Mount Magnet.

About 2.30am, police spotted the car on the Geraldton-Mount Magnet Rd heading east. A car chase ensued but officers lost them.

Police last night used helicopters and night-vision equipment to locate the men.

Serco declined to comment.

Corrective Services Commissioner James McMahon faces the media today. Source: News Limited

CCTV from BP Cue petrol station showing escapee Cameron John Graham wearing orange cap and dark T shirt with "LA" in large letters on the front. Source: Supplied

Kelden Edward Fraser, 23, who escaped from a prison van in Geraldton. Source: Supplied

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Hewitt beats Federer in Brisbane final

Lleyton Hewitt in action against Roger Federer at the Brisbane International. Picture: Peter Wallis Source: News Limited

LLEYTON Hewitt has caused a major upset by beating Roger Federer to claim the Brisbane International title.

The Australian, ranked 60th, made a surprising early jump on world No.6 Federer and then capitalised for a 6-1 4-6 6-3 win in a final lasting two hours and eight minutes.

Federer had an uncharacteristically poor first set in which he committed 22 unforced errors to Hewitt's three.

Hewitt shocked the 17-time Grand Slam champion - and the packed stands at Pat Rafter Arena - when he jumped out to a 4-1 lead.

Federer fought off four break points in the seventh game but when the Australian converted the fifth, he claimed the first set, lasting just 27 minutes.

Federer grabbed his first break point of the match in the fifth game of the second set, but Hewitt saved it with a superb lunging volley and he went on to hold serve.

Federer fought off a break point for 4-4 and, with Hewitt 40-0 up in the next game, the Swiss player clawed his way back to make the decisive break before holding comfortably to claim the set.

Hewitt saved four break points to open the third set and then broke his opponent for 3-1 when Federer sent a forehand wide.

Federer failed to convert three more break points along the way and Hewitt served for the match, claiming the trophy when Federer netted a backhand.

Hewitt's impressive performance followed his gruelling three-set semi-final upset of Japanese world No.17 Kei Nishikori over two-and-a-half hours in brutal heat on Saturday.

Federer also had played a three setter, but he dispensed French semi-final opponent Jeremy Chardy in less than two hours once temperatures had eased a little.

In a battle of 32-year-olds, their 27th meeting, Hewitt secured his ninth victory over Federer and first since winning the final in Halle in 2010.

The win could send Hewitt into the Australian Open as the nation's No.1 by lifting his ranking into the 40s, while world No.51 Bernard Tomic must defend championship points in Sydney this week.

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Shark cull fury fuels passionate protest

Thousands of protestors gathered at Cottesloe Beach to voice their objection to the State Government's shark cull policy. Picture: Justin Benson-Cooper. Source: News Limited

PROTESTERS vow that yesterday's passionate rally at Cottesloe is just the starting gun on their campaign to scrap the Barnett Government's shark catch and kill policy.

And as the Greens said their lawyers were exploring a legal challenge, acting Premier Kim Hames said the Government was unmoved by the furore and would press ahead with the plan to place 72 baited hooks off beaches from Friday.

Speaking after 4500 protesters gathered on WA's most iconic beach, Dr Hames said there would be a bigger public outcry if anyone sabotaged the drum lines.

"What . . . if someone gets taken on the Rottnest Island swim for example, or a child at Scarborough Beach? Where will their protest be then?'' he said.

Meanwhile, the Greens said their lawyers were investigating the legality of killing protected shark species.

They are also looking into so-called "irregularities" in the tender to maintain the shark drum lines, which will be deployed 1km off beaches in Perth and the South-West.

Great white, tiger and bull sharks will be shot and discarded at sea, most likely in waters past Rottnest Island. A contract to patrol the lines will be awarded to commercial fishers late this week.

Protesters said the turnout at Cottesloe indicated the level of opposition to the policy, which was announced after the death of surfer Chris Boyd near Gracetown in November.

Sea Shepherd Australia director Jeff Hansen said: "Western Australians have spoken. It's the biggest rally I think we've ever seen in WA - and it's for sharks. People are educated and they understand the importance that sharks play in our oceans.

Anti-shark cull protesters were out in force at Cottesloe Beach. Picture: Stewart Allen Source: News Limited

"Save Our Sharks", "Cull Pollies Not Sharks" and "Stop Cullin Barnett" were among the banners held aloft as the crowd chanted: "Two, four, six, eight - we don't want your bloody bait".

Ben Taylor performed a welcome to country ceremony and told the crowd that great white sharks were part of his culture.

"Colin Barnett should hang his head in shame for what he is doing. We must all stand together against this," he said.

Organiser Natalie Banks, a scuba diving instructor, invited the protesters to turn and bow to the Indian Ocean. She vowed to continue the fight and is planning a second rally for February 1.

Simultaneous protests were yesterday also held in Bunbury, Broome and the eastern states. Ms Banks estimated more than 4500 were at ¬Cottesloe.

Surfer Cody Robinson, 18, of Port Kennedy, was among them and said: "I have told my family that if I get eaten by a shark I don't want any harm to come to it because I was fully aware of the risks when I went in the water."

Mother-of-two Kellie Pearse, 30, of Clarkson, added: "There is no science behind this decision. I don't go out too far in the water because I'm scared of sharks, but I don't want to see them being killed."

Other beachgoers, however, backed the State Government's new stance.

Gerald Simenson, 79, who has swum at Cottesloe beach since he was four years old, said: "If sharks come within 1km of the shore they should be destroyed. I am for survival, I want to live and I want to enjoy the ocean."

Thousands of protestors gathered at Cottesloe Beach to voice their objection to the State Government's shark cull policy. Picture: Justin Benson-Cooper Source: News Limited

Mosman Park agricultural banker Crawford Taylor, 46, added: "If this helps to keep people confident in the safety of beaches then I am for it until we get more information.

"If you are in government, you are damned if you do and damned if you don't in terms of trying to protect the public at beaches."

The Greens' Lyn MacLaren said her party was pursuing legal avenues to stop the "illegal" killing of great white sharks.

"Whether it's an injunction or something taken up in the federal parliament, we don't know that yet," the member for the South Metropolitan Region said.

Dr Hames said drum lines had been used in Queensland for 10 years and the hooks used off WA would be bigger to ¬reduce the risk of bycatch.

Ross Weir, founder of Western Australians for Shark Conservation, urged boaters to document evidence of dead sharks and bycatch, which he suggested could include smaller sharks, turtles and dolphins.

Labor's fisheries spokesman Dave Kelly spoke against the "indiscriminate killing of sharks", but said legal options "were not immediately apparent".

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Women could vet 'boyfriend's' past

Young woman holding hand out in front of her body, suggesting stop. Source: News Limited

WOMEN will be able to check if a new boyfriend has a violent past under a scheme being considered by the WA Law Reform Commission.

The proposal is being looked at as part of a wider review of the state's domestic violence laws.

The idea for the public disclosure scheme is based on a similar initiative in the UK known as Clare's Law. After successful pilot programs in four major cities there, the law will be rolled out across the UK in March.

Anti-domestic violence campaigners in WA say the scheme - allowing police to disclose sensitive information - would help women who had concerns for their safety.

But the legal fraternity warns it could be abused.

The WA Law Reform Commission has invited submissions - which close at the end of this month - on the proposal despite having its own reservations.

In a discussion paper last month, the commission said any potential benefit needed to be considered in the context of "potential detriments" of other schemes, such as the public sex offender register that was launched in October 2012.

"There is a real risk that the disclosure process will provide a false sense of security to an applicant where there is no information to disclose," the paper said.

"In addition, disclosure of past history of family and domestic violence may carry with it a risk of its own if the person receiving the information decides to raise it with the perpetrator.

"Further problems may arise if information received is passed on to other persons."

In the UK, 386 people, mostly women, have made applications seeking information about their partners since the pilot programs were launched two years ago. Of those, 25 per cent were from a concerned third party such as a parent or guardian. From the 386, 111 applicants were successful.

The UK scheme also allows police and other agencies to disclose information to a person they know is at risk without that person needing to make an application.

In WA, the Women's Council for Family and Domestic Violence supports the introduction of the scheme in conjunction with other initiatives.

"There's an element of the UK model that will give greater access for victims in new relationships where they start to fear for their safety, where they can contact police and be given some sort of an idea if (the partner) has a violent history," chief executive Angela Hartwig said.

Shash Nigam from the Australian Lawyers Alliance said there could be some benefits from such a scheme, but was more concerned that it would be abused.

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Jail transfers halted as search goes on

Two prisoners who escaped at Geraldton Airport are violent and should not be approached, WA police say.

CORRECTIVE Services chief James McMahon yesterday cancelled all non-essential prison transfers in the wake of the shambolic escape of a notorious rapist allowed privileges at Christmas.

Commissioner McMahon also ordered a review of the prisoner transfer process, as the State Opposition called for a parliamentary inquiry into the debacle.

Cameron John Graham, 22, sentenced in November to 11 years jail for brutally raping a mother, escaped from custody after being flown from his Perth prison cell to Geraldton to be close to his family for Christmas.

He and another prisoner were still on the run last night.

CorrectIve Services Commissioner James McMahon faces the media today. Source: News Limited

Opposition spokesman for corrective services Paul Papalia said yesterday Labor would move a motion calling for the inquiry when State Parliament resumed next month.

Mr Papalia said it was "inconceivable" that one month after starting his jail term Graham would be transferred from a Perth prison - believed to be Hakea Prison - to Greenough Regional Prison to be closer to his family for Christmas.

Corrective Services Minister Joe Francis yesterday refused to front the media, leaving acting Premier Kim Hames and Mr McMahon to face a barrage of questions.

Mr McMahon said that as a result of the incident only prison transfers approved by him would go ahead.

Mr Papalia said Graham did not deserve the festive season perk.

He said the "risks were too high'' for Graham to be transferred to Greenough.

When Graham broke into the woman's home on January 15 last year, he threatened to murder her children.

He then forced her to undress before repeatedly raping his terrified victim in her walk-in-robe.

Afterwards he ordered her to drive to a nearby cash machine and withdraw $400.

The woman was so traumatised, she and her family have left Australia.

At sentencing, District Court judge Christopher Stevenson said Graham's offending was of "such gravity" it was difficult to finds words "as a human being to describe the nature and depravity of it".

But one month later, Graham was rewarded with a taxpayer-funded flight to see his family in Geraldton.

CCTV from BP Cue petrol station showing escapee Cameron John Graham wearing orange cap and dark T shirt with "LA" in large letters on the front. Source: Supplied

Kelden Edward Fraser, 23, who escaped from a prison van in Geraldton. Source: Supplied

Asked by the media yesterday why Mr Francis was missing in action, Dr Hames said: "I don't know where he is. He is not my responsibility.

"I don't know the circumstances behind Joe not being able to talk today. The Minister has a full understanding of the implications of his responsibilities as a Minister. It's up to him to make those decisions and up to the Premier to make judgments on whether those decisions are accurate or not.''

Mr Papalia said: "Corrective Services minister Joe Francis needs to provide the community a full explanation as to why this perk was allowed.

"This is a guy (Mr Francis) who chases publicity for self promotion and spin but is shy when there is an issue. I will be writing to the Minister and asking him for the specific process that occurs for transfers of prisoners for the sake of proximity of family. The process needs to be reviewed."

Mr Papalia said Serco, the private company responsible for prisoner transfer, should also be part of the inquiry.

"Serco has had a series of failures in the past few months,'' Mr Papalia said.

Mr McMahon said a detailed investigation was also being conducted by Serco.

Graham was being transferred back to Hakea on Friday when he kicked the door out of a prison van at Geraldton airport and stole a rental car at 1pm.

Kelden Edward Fraser, 23, on remand at Greenough for alleged armed robbery, also escaped.

The car allegedly stolen by the pair was found bogged 39km north of Mullewa.

Officers had resumed the search at first light after reports the escapees were seen refuelling at BP service station in Cue, 620km north east of Perth, about 8.30pm on Friday.

They were seen by police travelling along Great Northern Highway but disappeared 15km north of Mount Magnet.

About 2.30am, police spotted the car on the Geraldton-Mount Magnet Rd heading east. A car chase ensued but officers lost them.

Serco has been contacted for comment.

Anyone who sees the vehicle or either of the men should call police on 131 444.

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Suicide is WA's top teen killer

Dr Rosanna Capolingua. Picture: file image Source: News Limited

SUICIDE is now the most common cause of unexpected death among WA teenagers.

The revelation contained in a new report has already triggered a major investigation into youth suicide by the WA Ombudsman, The Sunday Times can reveal.

Eminent health experts say the fact that suicide now outranks car crashes and illness as the leading cause of sudden death among 13 to 17-year-olds was a cause for alarm.

Child death review data shows 39 per cent of youths from this age bracket who died suddenly between July 2009 and June 2013 took their own lives. This compares with 29 per cent from car crashes and 14 per cent from medical conditions.

"The Ombudsman (has) decided to undertake a major own-motion investigation into youth suicide," a spokeswoman for Ombudsman Chris Field said on Friday.

Responsibility for child death reviews was transferred to the WA Ombudsman in 2009. The state coroner is required by law to notify the Ombudsman of any unnatural, unexpected or violent deaths of children.

Of the 123 child death notifications for teenagers received by the Ombudsman since 2009, 48 involved children taking their own lives, including one child aged 13 and 18 children aged 14 or 15. Almost two-thirds were from the Perth metro area. One-third were Aboriginal.

Rosanna Capolingua, chair of the Governing Council for Child and Adolescent Health in WA, said she feared statistics for the second half of 2013 would be even worse.

"Something significant is happening to kids in that age group in WA and maybe across Australia for them to take their lives and we know that social media plays a big role in this," she said.

"I think parents are aware, doctors are aware, but sometimes we don't know what to do. As well as the bullying, social media encouraged children to dwell on negative emotions, such as pain and suffering. Suicide is heralded as a wonderful thing (on social media)."

She said early intervention was needed and we needed to "bust the myth" that talking about suicide would make the problem worse.

Michael Gannon, the AMA WA vice president. Source: News Limited

Australian Medical Association WA vice-president Michael Gannon said WA's mental health system was "collapsing."

"In the whole state we have got eight (mental health) beds available at PMH and another 12 beds available at Bentley and that's all we've got for adolescent patients," he said.

"Not only is there a reasonable amount of evidence that life just gets more stressful as every generation goes on and more difficult, these are also young people who unfortunately are increasingly exposed to illegal drugs which are extremely powerful in their effect on the brain and there is a higher rate of mental illness in people who are using illicit drugs."

Mental Health Minister Helen Morton said the causes were complex.

"We are working to ensure young people can access a dedicated youth-friendly stream of care and not fall in the gap between child and adolescent services and the adult system," she said.

Opposition Health Spokesman Roger Cook said he was "alarmed" by the figures, while Lifeline WA chief executive Fiona Kalaf said "families were often unsure about how to navigate the maze of mental health services."

Lifeline 13 11 14 (24-hour telephone service) crisischat.lifelinewa.org.au (online chat service)

Kids Help Line 1800 55 1800 (24-hour telephone service) www.kidshelp.com.au

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The gender gap that's killing men

A SPECTACULAR gender gap has resulted in men's health problems being allocated a quarter of the funding women's health research gets, ranked just ahead of parasitic infections.

This is even though men die four and a half years earlier than women, and are 60 per cent more likely to die from cancer.

It is one reason there is still no reliable test to detect aggressive forms of prostate cancer, a bigger killer than breast cancer.

Men's health ranked 36th for federal government health research funding in 2012, behind sexually transmitted infections and just ahead of parasitic infections, an exclusive analysis by News Corp Australia shows.

Since 2003 women's health research received more than $833 million from the National Health and Medical Research Council compared to less than $200 million for men.

Breast cancer received $60 million more than prostate cancer and ovarian cancer $64 million more than testicular cancer.

The smaller funding for men's health research is a paradox given their average life expectancy is just 79.7 compared to 84.2 for women.

And the fact that one in two Australian men will be diagnosed with cancer by the age of 85 compared to only 1 in 3 Australian women.

Prostate Cancer Foundation chief Dr Anthony Lowe says "it is unexpected for men to find themselves in this position" and he says men's failure to seek healthcare for themselves is partly to blame.

"We know men are much worse at health seeking behaviour and have worse health outcomes," he said.

NRL identity Darryl Brohman was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2010 and is concerned about the lack of knowledge of this cancer that impacts the lives of 1 in 7 men.

Men need to be more aware of health issues ... NRL and media personality Darryl Brohman believes there's a lack of knowledge out there. Source: News Limited

"I do think men need to be more aware," said Mr Broman.

"It is something that you would never know you had if you didn't get checked. A simple blood test could save your life. It did for me."

Legendary broadcaster Alan Jones, who has suffered from prostate cancer and melanoma, said men were their own worst enemies when it came to generating awareness and funding for male-specific cancers.

"Women tend to be braver and tougher - they have talked about their experiences and so people feel more comfortable addressing breast cancer and cervical cancer," Mr Jones told News Corp Australia yesterday.

Mr Jones said he had many prominent CEOs and political figures who had told him of their private struggles with cancer but were terrified of the news going public because "they were worried the share price of their company would go down" or "they wouldn't be able to stand for a leadership position".

Radio personality ... Alan Jones says men can be their worst enemies at times. Source: News Limited

Jones said cancer struck all genders and age groups and so more research funding should be directed at the overall causes of cancer.

"We've got to see if there is something common to all forms of cancers, regardless of if it is a female cancer or a male cancer," he said.

The Prostate Cancer Foundation is now trying to attract more researchers into men's health and says fund raising campaigns like Movember are helping.

Dayne Hudson and Johnny Crotti have been bringing awareness to the lack of men's health funding. Picture: Jeremy Piper Source: Supplied

Greg Andresen from Men's Health Australia says health research funding shouldn't be a competition between the sexes but he admits men's health advocacy is decades behind women's.

A longitudinal study on women's health has been underway for almost two decades but Australia only got its first men's health policy in 2008 and the Ten to Men longitudinal study into men's health only began in 2011.

The NHMRC says the main primary reason for the difference in funding between women's and men's health relates to the types of applications it receives.

There were twice as many applications to the NHMRC for breast cancer as for prostate cancer and five times more for ovarian cancer than testicular cancer in the decade 2003-2013, an NHMRC spokesman said.

Ben Peacock was diagnosed with testicular cancer eight years ago at the age of 33.

"I thought it was an old man's disease," Mr Peacock said. "But then I found out it was the second biggest killer of young men and more common than I thought."

Caught unaware ... Ben Peacock was diagnosed with testicular cancer. Source: News Limited

Before being diagnosed, he was completely unaware of testicular cancer.

"I found out about the disease and survival rates along the way," he said.

Today he is an author, co-founder of sustainability communications company Republic of Everyone, co-creator of the multi-award winning Garage Sale Trail, a husband and a father.

"My battle has taught me about myself and what it means to be a man. I would have been dead five years ago if I hadn't done anything about it."

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Convicted rapist among two prison escapees

TWO prisoners are on the run after escaping from the back of a security van at Geraldton Airport today.

Cameron John Graham, 22, and Kelden Edward Fraser, 23, escaped from the security van at Geraldton Airport about 1pm while being transferred to Perth.

The men are believed to be travelling in a silver or grey Toyota Kluger, registration number 1DGZ 627, stolen from the airport.

The men are considered violent and should not be approached.

Fraser is 180cm tall, and also has a dark complexion, a medium build, brown eyes and black hair.

Kelden Edward Fraser, 23, who escaped from a prison van in Geraldton. Source: Supplied

Graham is described as 170cm tall, has a dark complexion, a medium build, brown eyes and short brown hair.

He was sentenced to 11 years jail over a terrifying home invasion in Beeliar last year during which he raped a woman as her children slept nearby.

Graham repeatedly raped the woman in her home before forcing her to withdraw cash at an ATM.

Graham had just been released from prison several weeks before the incident.

He was on a three day drug bender when he broke into the woman's home.

After confronting the woman in her bedroom, Graham told her that her children, who were sleeping downstairs, would die if she did not comply.

He then forced her to undress before repeatedly raping her.

Graham then ordered the distraught woman to drive him to a nearby cash machine, where she withdrew $400.

In handing down the 11 year jail term District Court Judge Stevenson said: "The offending is of such gravity it is difficult to find words as a human being to describe the nature and depravity of it."

Graham was ordered to serve at least nine years in prison before being considered for parole.

Both were last seen wearing prison greens.

Anyone who sees the vehicle or either of the men should call police on 131 444.

Cameron John Graham, 22, who escaped from a prison van in Geraldton. Source: Supplied

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