The family is one of thousands who rode the wave of Queensland’s mining boom, moving to Chinchilla almost a decade ago to tap into the skyrocketing job market and raise their young family in regional Australia. But nine happy years into their 10-year plan, tragedy struck.
“We had a nice car, a nice house, a motorbike, all that kind of stuff,” Ms Costello said. “We thought we were living the dream, but it was shattered last year.”
Since moving to the Surat Basin, Mr Costello had taken jobs in the coal industry, working on the Kogan Creek Power Station and other projects, but work started drying up in late 2013.
In November 2014, Kevin took his own life, leaving his devastated family searching for answers. “We had so many happy times here … All I can think about is financial pressures and the uncertainty of work,” she said. “I just don’t know, because we used to sit out on the back veranda and say ‘isn’t life great?’ ”
Sadly, the Costellos are not alone.
The statistics on suicide in the construction industry are alarming, with around 50 people taking their own lives each year in Queensland and another 150 permanently disabled following a suicide attempt.
Suicide outstrips death by accident in the construction sector six to one, a result of the industry’s long hours, high stress and transient lifestyle.
Towns such as Chinchilla are particularly vulnerable, with thousands brought in to work on massive, around-the-clock construction projects, many of which are now winding down, forcing employees to leave town or compete for the other jobs.
“It’s a real epidemic … There were about 14 suicides out here last year that I know of,” she said.
Now, Ms Costello is doing everything she can to help break the cycle, taking the opportunity to talk to her husband’s former work mates about the emotional impact Kevin’s suicide had on her family and imploring them to focus on their mental wellbeing.
Her husband’s former workplace has also stepped up, with the company enlisting the help of non-profit Mates in Construction to educate workers about their mental health.
Mates in Construction CEO Jorgen Gullestrup said the human and economic costs of suicide throughout the industry were “enormous” and it was vital for people to speak out to turn the tide.
Crisis helplines
MATES Construction industry suicide prevention group
1300 642 111
Mensline Australia (24 hours)
1300 789 978
Lifeline (24 hours)
13 11 14