Originally published: The Advocate, 06 April 2022
Two years on since Victoria marked the beginning of its first pandemic lockdown, a landmark national poll has revealed Ballarat voters to be among some of the most concerned people in the country about mental health.
The survey of more than 15,000 Australians from all demographics across the 151 federal seats – undertaken by Pureprofile on behalf of the Salvation Army – found mental health concerns weigh heavily on the minds of close to 60 per cent of voters in the federal electoral division of Ballarat, who perceive it as the leading social justice problem within the community, followed by housing affordability.
