When Bill Shorten asked an audience of voters to raise their arm if they'd been affected by suicide, the opposition leader's wife put her hand up.
It was a poignant moment at a forum in Woy Woy on the NSW Central Coast, where Mr Shorten, accompanied by wife Chloe, was conducting a Q&A with locals on Friday night.
The Labor leader had been prompted by a 19-year-old student named Bronte who wanted to know what Labor would do for youth mental illness.
She criticised all sides of politics for their inaction in tackling a major issue affecting her peers.
Mr Shorten acknowledged there were not many families around the country who weren't in some way affected by suicide.
"If I was to ask people in this room to put up their hands, how many of you has attempted, or know a family where suicide has occurred ..." he said, urging a show of hands.
After Chloe raised hers, Mr Shorten did as well.
"I should have put my hand up too," he said.
The opposition leader promised if elected, Labor would conduct 12 trial sites to assist mental health services help people in crisis, focusing on extra sub-acute care places.
"If we acknowledge something that affects all of us and all our families, it makes it easier to talk about and it makes it a political priority," he said.
* For support and information about suicide prevention, call Lifeline on 13 11 14
