Clare Paine - Busselton Wellbeing Advocate

09/09/2026

You may have seen or heard that tomorrow, 10 September, is R U OK? Day, however tomorrow is also World Su***de Prevention Day.

Conversations about su***de prevention shouldn’t begin and end with asking someone if they’re okay. Su***de is a serious and complex issue. There is rarely one reason why someone reaches a point of crisis, and there is no single conversation, service or intervention that can prevent every su***de.

Su***de prevention is a whole-of-community responsibility.

It means creating communities where people feel connected, valued and there are multiple avenues for support. It means reducing stigma, discrimination, isolation and barriers to support. It means recognising the signs that someone may be struggling, knowing how to have difficult conversations, and making sure people can access appropriate support when they need it.

It also means looking beyond the individual to the circumstances around them - su***de prevention is affordable housing, it's reducing financial stress, supporting healthy relationships, reducing family violence, addressing discrimination, improving physical health, and reducing substance use.

So yes, ask R U OK?, but also ask what we can do as a community to make it easier for people to be okay. Prevention is not just a conversation. It is the work of building communities where people have reasons to belong, people to turn to, and support when things get tough.

If you or someone you know needs support, help is available through Lifeline on 13 11 14, Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636, QLife on 1800184527 for LGBTQIA+ Peer Support, 13YARN (13 92 76) for Aboriginal Peer Support, or in an emergency, call 000.

07/09/2026

Mental Health Week is coming up next month, and there is plenty happening across our community.

The Busselton Mental Health Week page will be your one-stop place for updates, event announcements, and information from local organisations about what they're planning for Mental Health Week.

Give the page a follow and keep an eye out over the coming weeks as they share opportunities to connect, learn, and support mental wellbeing in our community.

A collaborative effort of local organisations and Not-For-Profits, providing free to low-cost events during Mental Health Week.

26/08/2026

I may not be a country music fan however Dolly Parton’s legacy is one I find particularly inspiring because it brings together so many things I care about: childhood literacy, public health, science and equality.

Through the Imagination Library, she made the simple but powerful idea that every child deserves a book into a global movement. She understood that giving children opportunities early in life can shape the rest of their lives. She also put her money behind science and medicine, including significant donations towards COVID research. And she used her platform to stand up for LGBTQ+ people, including supporting marriage equality and transgender rights, even when it would have been easier to stay quiet.

A remarkable example of using fame, wealth and influence for something bigger than yourself.

Rest in peace, Dolly. 💕

14/08/2026

🔍 Did you know there are 1686 registered short-stay accommodations in the City of Busselton?

The WA Government has launched a new interactive STRA reporting tool, giving communities, local governments and industry greater visibility of registered short-term rental accommodation across the State. Updated monthly, the tool provides a clearer picture of how the sector is evolving.

For the City of Busselton, tourism is a major driver of the local economy however housing availability and affordability remain ongoing community concerns. Transparent STRA data is an important step in understanding the relationship between visitor accommodation and local housing supply.

13/08/2026

Just dropped off a couple of bags of handmade beanies to this lovely community initiative, happening weekly for the next couple of months, led by The Lions Club of Vasse Inc. If you know anyone doing it tough who would appreciate a meal or a chat, please encourage them to head down 🥣🧦 And get in contact with the Lions if you would like to donate time or money towards this important cause.

07/08/2026

New McDonald's drive-thru coming to your main street?

When communities rally to object, it's usually already the last opportunity to influence the outcome. By the time the development application is lodged, many of the bigger planning decisions that shape our neighbourhoods have already been made.

If we want healthier communities, we need to advocate much earlier.

That means supporting planning policies that limit the concentration of unhealthy food outlets around schools, parks and other places where children spend time, and reducing the amount of junk food marketing they're exposed to. It's much more effective to create healthy neighbourhoods through good policy than to fight individual developments one by one.

The fast food industry wants us to believe that unhealthy eating is simply about personal choice. But that's only part of the story.

People are surrounded by marketing designed to influence them every day. Children see ads on TV and YouTube, sponsored content on social media, billboards, bus shelters, sporting sponsorships, gaming apps, and even promotions at community events. This isn't accidental; this is a sophisticated, multi-billion-dollar marketing strategy designed to build lifelong customers.

When children are exposed to constant advertising for unhealthy food, it's unfair to place all the responsibility on individuals or parents. We don't expect children to navigate an environment where every message encourages them to eat more junk food and then blame them for doing so. The environments we create have a powerful influence on the choices people make.

The newly launched Unjunk Our Neighbourhood campaign is calling for healthier communities by reducing the relentless marketing of unhealthy food and supporting planning decisions that put health first. This isn't about banning takeaway food or telling people what they can eat. It's about creating a fairer environment where healthy choices are easier, and wellbeing isn't competing with corporate marketing budgets.

If we want to improve community health, we need to look beyond personal responsibility and start addressing the environments that shape our choices.

04/08/2026

🏘️ The last Census in 2021 told us the median weekly rent in Busselton was $366. What will it be in 2026?

📊 On Tuesday 11 August 2026, the Census will count everyone in Australia and collect important information about our people, households and communities. More than just simply counting how many people live here, the Census provides one of the most comprehensive and consistent pictures we have of who we are, where we live and what our communities look like. This information helps governments, organisations, researchers and communities plan for the future.

One of the reasons Census data is particularly valuable is that government data isn't generally shared freely between agencies. There are privacy, legislative and governance requirements around sharing information collected for different purposes, and specific legislation may be required to enable data to be linked or shared. This means we can't simply join together all the information government already collects to get a complete picture of a community.

The Census provides an important, consistent dataset that can help us understand the bigger picture. This can help us identify differences between communities, understand who may be missing out, plan services and infrastructure, and make better-informed decisions about where resources are needed.

There are 66 questions in the 2026 Census, covering things such as who lives in your household, family and relationship information, age, s*x, marital status, country of birth, languages spoken, religious affiliation, school attendance, employment, occupation, housing information such as the type of dwelling, number of bedrooms, and household costs, how people travel to work and study, and health and disability information, including long-term health conditions and caring responsibilities.

The 2026 Census also brings an important new addition. For the first time, the Australian Census will directly collect data on s*xual orientation and gender of people aged 16 and over. These questions will help provide a clearer picture of Australia's LGBTQ+ population, including trans and gender-diverse people, and support planning for health and community services. This is important because if we don't have the data, it is much harder to see where inequalities exist, understand the needs of different communities and plan services appropriately.

📅 Census day is Tuesday 11 August 2026, but you can complete it ahead of time if you already know where you will be on that day.
💻 Most people will be able to complete the Census online. You should receive a Census invitation with a unique code by mail, which you can use to access the online form.
📄 If you prefer a paper form, or need one for another reason, you can call the Census to request a paper form.

What will the 2026 Census tell us about Busselton?

Has our population continued to grow? Are we getting younger or older? How has housing changed? Are more people working from home? Has the cultural diversity of our community changed? How many people identify as LGBTQ+? And what will the data tell us about the needs of our growing community?

The Census only happens every five years, so it is an important opportunity to make sure you and your household are counted. Because good decisions depend on good data, and good local data helps us build healthier, more connected communities. 📊❤️

03/08/2026

More than “roads, rates and rubbish”, local councils have a huge influence on our lives and the places where we live, work, grow and connect.

From parks and playgrounds to housing, transport, community facilities, the environment and social connection, councils are increasingly being asked to respond to complex issues that affect health and wellbeing, often without the additional funding or resources to tackle them alone.

A new report, “Better Together: Fostering local-state partnerships for healthier communities” explores this issue and makes the case for genuine partnerships between local and state governments, including clear ongoing partnerships, long-term and sustainable funding, and valuing local knowledge and community expertise.

Healthy communities aren't created by the health system alone. They are shaped by decisions about housing, transport, urban design, green spaces, education, employment, community connection and the environment. That means health needs to be considered across government, and local communities need a meaningful voice in shaping the decisions that affect them.

A really interesting read for anyone interested in public health, health promotion, local government or community development.

Better Together: Fostering local-state partnerships for healthier communities - read the report via Australian Policy Online: https://apo.org.au/node/335262

23/07/2026

Connections Week is coming to Busselton during Homelessness Week 2026 (August 3-9)

Connections Week aims to reach people where they are, in parks, cars, temporary accommodation, couch-surfing arrangements, and other insecure living situations, to ensure every person experiencing homelessness is seen, heard and counted in a nationally recognised survey.

This data will build an accurate picture of homelessness in the region to enable the community to advocate for community needs and make systems change.

To stay up to date with plans, follow Busselton Connections Week

17/07/2026

Our health and wellbeing are more important than corporate profits.

This evening I attended a thought-provoking presentation by Dr Carolyn Orr and Dr Rachel Horncastle, exploring the commercial determinants of health and the important connection between our environment and wellbeing

As Dr Orr said, "There are no healthy people on an unhealthy planet."

The discussion highlighted that our health is shaped by much more than individual choices. The products available to us, the environments we live in, the information we're exposed to, and the businesses and industries that influence policy and public opinion all play a role in our health outcomes.

The commercial determinants of health describe the ways commercial entities influence health through the products they sell, the marketing they use, their impact on our physical environment, and their involvement in policy and decision-making. Understanding these influences helps shift the conversation beyond individual responsibility towards creating healthier communities where the healthy choice is the easy choice.

Dr Rachel Horncastle also shared the growing evidence for the health benefits of spending time in nature. Healthy natural environments support mental wellbeing and child development, improve physical health, enhance cognitive function, and contribute to healthy immune and autonomic nervous system regulation. Approaches such as nature immersion therapy, urban greening, and designing communities that encourage connection with nature can all play an important role in improving population health.

Thank you to Doctors for the Environment Australia and Voices for Forrest - electorate for organising such an insightful evening. Conversations like these are vital for building a shared understanding of the broader factors that shape health and identifying opportunities to create healthier, more equitable and more sustainable communities for everyone.