Speeches

Sunday, 26 February 2023

Big Bike Ride for Breakthrough

---

Welcome to the grounds of Government House on this Sunday morning.

As joint patrons of Breakthrough, my husband Rod and I are very pleased to host the start of today’s bike ride.

After last year’s postponements it’s great to see the ride finally go ahead.

Thank you for being so dedicated to this cause and making time to ride today, especially in the middle of festival season, when so much is going on in Adelaide!

Supporting the mental health of all South Australians is a shared priority for Rod and me during my term.

Because mental health is one of the most pressing issues of our time, affecting as many as one in five Australians at some stage of their lives, we consider it a responsibility too.

Today you might be riding in support or memory of a family member, colleague or friend who has encountered mental illness – or even yourself.

As a community, we are increasingly asking the question, why are there such high rates of mental illness in our community?

This is where the Breakthrough Foundation comes in.

Cutting edge research will give us the answers we need to support the mental health of Australians.

We thank you sincerely for devoting your time and energy to this ride, which is raising much-need funds for Breakthrough to allocated to researchers.

Last year we had the pleasure of getting to know Breakthrough staff and supporters by hosting a reception here at Government House, and having a tour of the organisation’s city offices.

We are impressed by Breakthrough’s outstanding level of dedication for their work, and the research they are facilitating.

Riders, we trust you’ve had enough coffee from the Bike Village to get you through and are now raring to go. Good luck for your ride, and we wish you a safe and memorable day!