New Zealand MP’s emotional speech about son’s suicide

An MP has broken down while he spoke of his son’s suicide — revealing just why he comes into work each day despite being in huge amounts of emotional pain.

An MP has broken down while he spoke of his son’s suicide — revealing just why he comes into work each day despite being in huge amounts of emotional pain.

Mark Cameron, a member of the right wing ACT Party in New Zealand, gave an emotional speech in parliament on Wednesday in the wake of World Suicide Prevention Day.

Mr Cameron’s son, Brody, took his own life in May. The 22-year-old had been described by his father as an “everyday good Kiwi” who worked as a contractor and farmer.

Mark Cameron is an MP in New Zealand. Picture: Facebook

In his speech, Mr Cameron said everyone knew he came into politics to shed light on what it was like to be a farmer, particularly when it came to mental health.

“Yesterday was World Suicide Prevention Day. Hard for some. Bloody hard for me. I buried my boy and he is gone,” Mr Cameron said.

“I stand here to address this house, to address all of you, a shadow of a man that boy would have become.”

But, he said, he turned up to work every day because he believed in rural New Zealand and the leader of his party David Seymour.

Mr Cameron said he might be able to save someone else just like his son, saying that people of rural New Zealand deserved to be listened to as they fought to preserve their way of life.

He said the laws they make help or

“Farming is a hell of a thing — and so many people don’t do it because of that,” Mr Cameron said.

Brody Cameron died in May. Picture: Facebook

“The scourge of suicide took my boy. It must not take anymore children. Our people, actually think of the people we affect when we make laws in this place.”

Mr Cameron, who was first elected in 2020, said to think of the farmer who spent thousands and worked hard on a crop, only for it to be destroyed.

He said he understood what the people of rural New Zealand went through and it was about time those people were listened to, and his party was doing just that.

He said his son’s suicide was one thing — it could have been many — and while his life was a mess, he believed in his community.

Following the sharing of his personal tragedy, the Speaker announced their would be a minute of silence in Brody’s honour.

Originally published as New Zealand MP’s emotional speech about son’s suicide