Melissa McIntosh (Lindsay, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) serious mental health issues are often at their highest two to three years after a crisis, pandemic or natural disaster;

(b) the previous Government made significant progress in supporting the mental health of Australians by doubling Medicare-subsidised sessions through the Better Access initiative; and

(c) the current Government has halved the 20 sessions to ten from 1 January 2023;

(2) condemns the Government for prioritising their budget over the health and wellbeing of Australians; and

(3) further notes the Government's use of the independent evaluation of the Better Access initiative to defend their decision to rip away mental health support from Australians, is disingenuous given that Recommendation 12 clearly states, 'the additional 10 sessions should continue to be made available and should be targeted towards those with complex mental health needs'.

Last year whilst out campaigning for the election, the now Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, told Australians:

We should regard people's access to mental health care as no different to if someone who breaks an arm.

He pledged to further focus on mental health. Yet what we have seen since from the Albanese government is a direct shift against one of the core pillars of evidence-based medicine, moving away from the science in terms of policymaking.

Leading research highlights psychological problems, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, require more than the average number of sessions to provide the necessary care. The Sydney Morning Herald reports 10 sessions will not treat many mental health issues. In fact, extensive international research tells us around one in 10 patients simply can't improve with just 10 psychology sessions.

The Better access report conducted by the government indicates that people with more severe symptoms access more services and subsequently show the most significant improvement. Completely disregarding the evidence is not a solution. It's not the solution for a mum from Glenmore Park, in my electorate of Lindsay, who is scared that her daughter will not be able to access a full 20 Medicare subsidised psychology sessions that were previously available to her before this government halved the sessions on 1 January this year. This is not the solution for almost half of young women aged 16 to 24 who have experienced mental health issues in the past financial year. This is not the solution for one in five Australians who will suffer from mental illness in any given year. Simply put, it is not the solution that Australians deserve. The government is now reducing accessibility while misleading the public that it genuinely believes it is strengthening mental health care, stating that it is only helping the wealthy. These are not high-income people, hogging the sessions and leaving nothing for others, as health minister Mark Butler has argued. These are everyday Australians in need, and the Albanese government is turning its back on them without an alternative plan to support the mental health of Australians who access Medicare funded psychology sessions each year.

Let's have a look at the advice. Australian Psychological Society President Dr Catriona Davis-McCabe said:

The government commissioned Better Access evaluation released today found workforce shortages and location as key barriers to patient care which makes the axing of the additional sessions program harder to understand.

This program safely gave many people telehealth or in-person psychological care for the first time in their lives, yet many patients will now have to ration or stop treatment altogether.

Just as people shouldn't be asked to ration vital medicines like insulin, they shouldn't have to ration mental health care.

There was a similar sentiment with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who when he was in Tasmania before the election deceived the general public about strengthening mental healthcare. He said:

… we should regard people's access to mental healthcare as no different from if someone breaks an arm—they expect to get treated by a doctor.

The Sydney Morning Herald also reported:

Mental Health Australia chair Matt Berriman said the cut to Medicare-subsidised psychology sessions had raised broader concerns about the mental health system. He challenged the government to reveal its longer-term plan for the sector.

"We need added services and action yesterday, not less," Berriman said.

"The new government should make mental health a key priority, which has seemed to have been lost since taking power. Where's Labor's plan for mental health in this country?"

Further backing the outcry, in a letter to the Minister for Health, Mark Butler, the Australian Psychological Society, Rural Health Alliance, Victorian Ambulance Union and the Australian Federal Police Association all united against the cuts, shining a light on the additional non-direct pressures this decision will place on the system.

The tragedy behind this decision is its untimeliness. When Australians are most vulnerable, recovering after the years of the COVID pandemic; when people have been hit by multiple flood events, multiple fires and other natural disasters; the Albanese government has decided that the Medicare funded sessions that provide so much support to so many Australians are unnecessary. At a time when suicides are rising and the mental health epidemic is worsening, the question is: is the government listening to Australians at all?

James Stevens (Sturt, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is the motion seconded?

Andrew Wallace (Fisher, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I second the motion and reserve my right to speak.

Steve Georganas (Adelaide, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

AS () (): I'm so grateful for the opportunity to speak about our nation's mental health. This is an issue that's way too important to be political. An Australian Bureau of Statistics report found that eight Australians, the majority of whom are men, die every day by suicide. Over 65,000 Australians attempt suicide each year. This is a devastating impact on a personal, social and economic scale. That report came out before COVID, and we know that COVID has exacerbated the already existing mental health crisis, so there's no doubt that this is a national emergency. As such, we must ensure that the services we provide are targeted, achieve the desired results and are evidence-based and—very important—independent. I would like to stress the word 'independent'.

Evaluation by the University of Melbourne of the Better Access initiative showed that the current scheme is not delivering for all Australians equally. It found that people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds; those living in regional, rural, and remote areas; and aged-care residents are missing out. The evaluation also found that the additional sessions were generally not targeted to people with complex mental health issues. Research consistently shows that COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted disadvantaged Australians, but evidence from the evaluation indicated these people, who are already doing it tough, are often unable to receive mental health support under Better Access.

In 2021, Australians used five sessions on average, and 83 per cent of people used 10 or fewer sessions. In addition, wait times to see a professional blew out. The evaluation found that all the additional services went to existing patients, and the number of new patients who were able to get into the system and get access to psychology services declined by seven per cent. This independent assessment has been supported by other experts in the field. For example, Professor Patrick McGorry agreed with the independent assessment in the Sydney Morning Herald in December last year:

He said while there was a "small group of people that for which an extra 10 sessions would be helpful", the extra sessions amounted to a "really weak and inadequate" second-tier solution.

In the Guardian, Professor Sam Harvey, executive director and chief scientist at the Black Dog Institute, said that the changes being proposed 'could see shorter waiting times and more people able to make appointments'.

I'll say it again: our nation's mental health is too important to play politics with. I get many calls from people in my electorate, as many do in this place, who are desperate because they can't access services. We all want to do all we can to ensure that our investment in mental health gets to the people who need it. That's why we're tackling this problem in a number of ways. Gap fees are at an all-time high. People are paying more for their care, and when they can't afford those fees they go without. This is why we're undertaking a reform of Medicare—to ensure that people are not shut out of getting help because they can't afford it. This is also why we invested an additional $114 million for mental health services in the October budget. It's an extra $114 million for mental health, which included $48 million to reinstate a loading to make telehealth psychiatry more affordable for people in rural and regional areas.

This is also why we have convened a forum of key experts and people with lived experience of mental illness. The aim is to assess the recommendations of the independent evaluation and provide reform advice on how to improve Better Access so that all Australians have access to the same level of evidence based care. Discussions at the forum focused on how to make services more affordable and accessible to those who need them most as part of a broader system of care.

Too many people are struggling with mental health issues. We see it every day. It is our duty to ensure that the services we provide are appropriate, accessible to everyone who needs them and targeted. We must ensure that we grow the services that exist, but in a targeted way for those people that need them most.

Andrew Wallace (Fisher, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise in support of this motion, and I congratulate the member for Lindsay, who is doing a terrific job in holding this government to account as the shadow assistant minister for mental health. In my electorate of Fisher, mental health issues have consistently been identified among the community's greatest concerns. According to the 2021 census data, it was the No. 1 health concern for men and women under the age of 55. The mental health and wellbeing of Australians should be a core priority for any government. I was proud to have played a role in a coalition government delivering record investment into mental health and suicide prevention. It was a $3 billion package, and I want to congratulate the great work that David Coleman and Greg Hunt did when they were in their respective roles.

When it comes to mental health, we can't just measure in money invested. We have to look at the real-life outcomes for everyday Australians. On that metric, it is clear that the coalition is on the side of Australians. Let's take a look just at my electorate of Fisher. Since my election in 2016, I've fought to boost mental health services and outcomes. I've made it my ambition to see the Sunshine Coast become a hub for world-class mental health care. We've delivered $11.4 million to establish and deliver mental health and suicide prevention research and training through the University of the Sunshine Coast's Thompson Institute, and $8.3 million to establish a national PTSD centre, also at the USC's Thompson Institute. It is a research and clinical services centre—the first of its kind in Australia. We delivered $7.3 million to establish and deliver world-class treatment at Wandi Nerida, Australia's first residential eating disorder facility, a facility which I was advised today may have to close by the end of this year, because this federal government will not continue the funding that we made when we set it up. I will say more about that in days to come. We delivered around $4 million to create a brand-new headspace in Caloundra to support the growing population of youth and young adults in the area; over $200,000 to support endED in their eating disorder recovery and rehabilitation efforts; and hundreds of thousands of dollars for men's sheds, mental health research, veteran support and volunteer mental health training. That is the coalition's record on mental health just in my electorate of Fisher: supporting vulnerable Australians, transforming the way we treat mental illnesses and saving lives.

In less than a year, the Albanese Labor government have delivered cuts, cuts and more cuts to mental health care. We wanted a veterans' wellbeing centre on the Sunshine Coast. We wanted to deliver this. Labor said no. We committed $10 million to Fortem Australia, an organisation doing exemplary work supporting first responders with mental health support. Labor axed $7½ million in funding, meaning that Fortem would not be able to open their outreach programs across regional Australia, including on the Sunshine Coast. It was not until and after sustained advocacy from members of the coalition that we were able to embarrass this government into reversing their cuts.

Now, while the country contends with a myriad of mental health concerns beyond COVID lockdowns, and in the face of a cost-of-living crisis, Labor has done the unthinkable: they have cut funding to Medicare for mental health care. They have slashed funding for psychologist visits by half. They claim it's based on independent evaluation of the Better Access initiative, but it's as if they didn't even bother to read the report which, at recommendation 12, recommends that they keep the additional 10 sessions in place. Nothing to see here. This is just so typical of this Labor government. They slash and they cut. They throw up smoke and mirrors and echo vacuous promises.

I will make it my mission to ensure that this government, at the very least, continues to match the funding that we provided, particularly in relation to eating disorders. This health minister seems to be totally deaf when it comes to significant and complex mental health care. It is one of my jobs to ensure that he continues this funding; it is vital for Australians, and we will hold his feet to the fire.

Matt Burnell (Spence, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to speak against the motion moved in the name of the member for Lindsay. I do not speak against a motion like this lightly. On such serious subject matters, mainly that of mental health, I am sure this motion was not moved with any animus or craven intentions. I am sure that this was not an exercise in political pointscoring. I am sure that we are all better than that. This is why I am not making such an argument here today. I note that the member for Lindsay went before the House last week and asked a question of the Prime Minister, which was subsequently answered by the Minister for Health and Aged Care. It was resoundingly similar to the tone of her motion, yet we hear we are.

The member for Lindsay would now know that the previous government put in place a number of measures that would expire after the election. One notable example is the fuel excise. Another example is the extension of additional Medicare subsidised sessions through the Better Access initiative, which is the basis of this motion. The member for Lindsay states in her motion:

… serious mental health issues are often at their highest two to three years after a crisis, pandemic or natural disaster …

Yet, still, the motion remains entirely silent on the fact that the Morrison government, in the previous parliament, a parliament that the member for Lindsay was part of, opted to make these additional Medicare subsidised sessions under the Better Access scheme merely temporary measures. You would not have seen that mentioned in the headlines of the media releases or press conferences from the now former member for Flinders, but these measures, like his political career, were not intended to see out 2022.

I'm not sure whether the former member's political career was cut short by circumstance or by design, but the temporary measures that increased subsidised visits through the Better Access scheme were most definitely by design. I'm sure that if the Morrison government had been re-elected at the last election the member for Lindsay would have been the first one into this place, into her party room, using lines like those she has used in her motion, such as 'prioritising their budget over the health and wellbeing of Australians' or 'using an independent evaluation to defend ripping away mental health support'. To be fair, I was paraphrasing slightly, but in essence that is what the member for Lindsay has put to this place. I would like to hope that, upon learning that the previous government put a clock on these extra sessions, the member was as strong and full throated in her defence of those extra sessions to the decision-makers at its inception and not completely silent.

It is worth mentioning that the member for Lindsay has used the word 'disingenuous' in her motion, levelling it against the government. Language is very important. I do recognise that the member for Lindsay is the shadow assistant minister for mental health and suicide prevention, and I hope that, through her advocacy, she can help make a positive contribution in this space. But, at present, this contribution appears somewhat disjointed. The member for Lindsay appears to applaud the legacy of the previous Morrison Liberal government whilst, at the same time, lambasting the Albanese Labor government for decisions that were made by the very same government that she was quick to praise.

The Albanese Labor government sought expert medical advice to evaluate the Better Access initiative. The evaluations sung the praises of the initiative itself for those who are able to access it and benefit from it. What the member for Lindsay does not emphasise is the inequality in this scheme for young people, First Nations people, people from rural and regional areas and people from low-income households, many from my electorate of Spence, who fit these categories quite prominently.

When it comes to mental health, we as a nation cannot afford to leave tens of thousands of vulnerable people out in the cold, when we should be striving for equality. We cannot say that leaving people behind in a system that is working well for some qualifies as a success story. I'm glad the Minister for Health, along with the Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, has as recently as 30 January held a forum with clinicians and with people who have lived experience of mental ill health, with the remit of working out how to bring equity and fairness back into treatment and access to treatment, as it should be. Thank you.

Kylea Tink (North Sydney, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Before I begin today I want to take a moment to encourage anyone who is triggered by anything I say from this point forward to please reach out to those you trust and love or, alternatively, to one of a number of excellent services that are there to support people experiencing mental distress. They include: Kids Helpline, on 1800 551 800; Lifeline, on 13 1114; and Beyond Blue, on 1300 22 4636.

With that said, I stand before you today as a passionate advocate for youth in Australia and in particular for youth mental health. Throughout my career and since being elected to parliament, a primary focus for me has been trying to build greater support for vulnerable young Australians who are facing mental distress. It devastates me that youth mental ill health in Australia has reached unprecedented levels, with the most recent ABS data showing that two our of five young Australians between the ages of 16 and 24 have experienced a mental health disorder in just the last year. Devastatingly, suicide remains the leading cause of death for young people in Australia.

In this context, then, the beginning of End Youth Suicide Week today provides us with an important opportunity to stop and reflect on what role those of us in this place can play in improving the circumstances of young people. This campaign, driven by a number of organisations, including the incredible team at Youth Insearch, encourages our community and young people to defy the stigma associated with mental illness and openly talk about suicide with their friends, families and communities. There are many factors that can bring someone to this position, including social isolation, relationship breakdown, trauma and even the rising cost of living. While all of it is understandable, the loss of even one life due to it is unacceptable. Behind the numbers are real people: young Australians who have incredible futures ahead of them and who deserve access to the support they need to live out their potential. And while this crisis unfolds, the health sector carries a growing burden as it awaits the fulfilment of a promise for system-wide mental health reform in Australia. Whilst I support talk by the government of reform, and understand that such reform takes time, immense resources and sensitivity to the issues, we need to start seeing it roll out.

The National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Agreement outlines the shared intention of all governments to work in partnership to improve the mental health of all Australians, while the Vision 2030 Blueprint for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention provides a blueprint for a successful, connected, mental health and suicide prevention system to meet the needs of all Australians. Both of these strategies are welcome. But we desperately need to move beyond good intentions and towards tangible interventions that meet young people in the space where they need to be met, by ensuring we know what services are needed, where and by whom, and then by working to provide those services in a way that is infinitely accessible to all, regardless of where the person lives or their socio-economic or cultural status or background.

We can do better, and I call on the government to take tangible action today. I stress the urgency of the situation that is faced by the health sector in this waiting game. In 2022, more than one in three of those diagnosed with a mental health disorder and aged between 16 and 34 had not had their counselling needs met. In November last year, I questioned the government on their plans to cut support for subsidised mental health sessions by half in 2023, and I continue to condemn the government's decision to move forward with that. Chronic mental health conditions need more than 10 quick appointments. We need a system that is mobilised around the individual's needs, rather than one that is curtailed by an arbitrary number.

The previous government introduced 20 Medicare-subsidised sessions available to young people, purposefully in response to the prevalence of mental ill-health in the country. With the crisis only worsening, young people must be able to access the mental health service they need. I disagree with the government's independent evaluation of the Better Access initiative to defend their decision to take away this mental health support from young Australians, and I continue to argue it's not justified. The urgency of the situation does not allow for the budget to be prioritised above the health and wellbeing of young Australians.

Speaking with people at the coalface of this challenge across our community has shown me that we have the information and innovation needed to make the necessary long-term improvements to the mental health of young Australians. We just need the political will. It is time to prioritise the system-wide health reforms promised by the government to ensure our nation remains the best country in the world for all Australians.

Cassandra Fernando (Holt, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mental health is a crucial issue that affects the wellbeing of all Australians, and I am proud to say that this government is taking a comprehensive and proactive approach to addressing this crucial issue. In recent years, the prevalence of mental illness has increased dramatically, and it is more important than ever that we take steps to rectify the delivery of mental health services in Australia.

The Albanese Labor government recognises the impact that mental illness can have on individuals, families and our entire community. We are committed to providing the necessary resources, support and funding to ensure everyone can access the mental health care they need. Putting the voices of experts, carers and consumers at the front and centre of policy development and decision-making is essential to delivering the mental health system Australians deserve. To achieve this, the government has worked closely with stakeholders across the mental health sector to ensure the people of this country have the resources and support they need to receive the best possible care.

The crucial step in reviewing the government's mental health and suicide prevention policies was the Better Access Forum. This forum followed the release of the independent Better Access evaluation by the University of Melbourne, which showed that, while the program delivered promising outcomes, many Australians continued to miss out. For example: in 2022, less than half of the people from low socio-economic backgrounds, like many of those who live in my electorate of Holt, were able to access the treatment they needed, despite most services being delivered in their areas. This forum, which demonstrated this government's cornerstone cooperative approach, focused on improving the system's equity and aimed to understand how Australia could improve access to care without compromising positive health outcomes. It recognised the shared goals of the government, the mental health sector and those with a lived experience, and the mutual commitment to work together to continue building an inclusive mental health system.

The forum was also informed of the decision by the Minister for Health and Aged care, Mark Butler, MP, to announce a significant $8.5 million investment to support those with a lived and living experience of mental ill-health to shape the policies and programs that affect them. This includes $7.5 million to establish and operate two independent national mental health lived-experienced peak bodies, one representing consumers and the other representing carers, families and kin. Additionally, the government will give lived-experience Australians an extra $900,000 to continue their work in leading lived-experience research and to build the capacity of consumers and carers. The remaining $100,000 will help to establish a regular stakeholder forum to increase transparency, accountability and partnership with the sector. This demonstrates the Albanese Labor government's emphasis on constant and continuous improvement.

The evaluation found that people using Better access experienced positive outcomes but that those from lower socio-economic backgrounds, or those living in regional, rural or remote communities, were missing out. This meant that the Australians most at risk were also those who were unable to access the care they needed and deserved. These alarming findings informed Minister Butler's considered decision not to prolong the temporary Better Access expansion beyond 31 December 2022, and to encourage the government to focus on making the system more equitable. An equitable system means that communities facing socio-economic disadvantage, like the people of Holt, can have faith that this country's mental health system cares for them too.

I am proud that the Albanese Labor government understands the importance of mental health and wellbeing, and is committed to improving mental health support for all Australians. I commend Minister Butler and the Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, Emma McBride, MP, for working tirelessly to ensure that everyone has access to the care they need.

Allegra Spender (Wentworth, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would like to thank the member for Lindsay for moving this motion, particularly at this time. Today is the first day of End Youth Suicide Week, an initiative of Youth Insearch, which works to raise awareness, overcome stigma and, hopefully, provide support to those who need it.

I've been talking with the people of Wentworth over the summer, and youth mental health is one of the most common concerns people raise with me. It's not just young people who raise it: youth mental health is frequently raised by older people, who are desperately worried about their children, their grandchildren and the young people in their communities. During the election, a number of people came up to me personally and told me about their own mental health journeys. A young man in particular came to talk to me and asked me about what I was doing in terms of supporting young men. We had a hard conversation about the impact of mental health on young men in particular, the alarming suicide rates, his own personal journey of dealing with the suicides of his friends and his own mental health. Sadly, the statistics really speak for themselves. Over the last decade, the suicide rate for people aged 18 to 24 went from 10.8 per 100,000 to 14.6, an increase of more than one third. For people in the 18 to 24 age group, suicide accounts for around one third of all deaths. It is the leading cause of death in that age group, and that is much, much too high.

The subject of today's motion is the government's decision to reduce the number of Medicare subsidised mental health sessions from 20 to 10. I have raised this with the minister directly, and I would like to thank him publicly for taking the time to meet with me to discuss this and other issues on several occasions.

As I understand it, the government accepted the findings of research done by the University of Melbourne, which found that there was a lack of equity in the Better Access initiative, with people from more affluent areas receiving more support than those from less affluent areas. Research also found that those with more complex mental health issues were not receiving sufficient support. It is quite reasonable for the government to target its limited resources to where it can do the most good. I accept that principle and advocate for it being adopted more widely, but the economic impacts and the community impacts of mental health are significant. The 2020 Productivity Commission estimated that the benefits would be more than $18 billion per year. That is more than the value of our wheat exports.

The value of effective mental health programs is enormous. The impact on our communities when a young person makes the most awful decision for them in their lives is absolutely brutal, and no money can put a value on that. Rather than cutting back on Better Access because of equity and complexity issues, we should be building on it and developing additional solutions that are targeted to those groups which are missing out, such as low-income individuals, those in regional areas and those with complex mental health conditions. Mental health support should not be a zero-sum game, where funding is taken from one group and given to another. We have to improve results across the community and find innovative ways of delivering services, rather than rationing services for some despite the positive and demonstrated impacts of that support. So I call on the government to reconsider this decision: restore the additional mental health sessions and make mental health and suicide prevention an absolute priority for this parliament.

Alison Byrnes (Cunningham, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Lindsay for putting forward this motion. The Albanese Labor government understands the importance of mental health and how the various aspects of an individual's life can affect their mental wellbeing. We know that early intervention and support are key to promoting positive mental health, and we are investing in innovative and compassionate projects.

This month, the Albanese government has invested $1.7 million to extend The Essential Network, or TEN project. This project, facilitated by the Black Dog Institute, provides tailored mental health and wellbeing support to healthcare professionals, including through clinical interventions, peer support, self-guided check-ups and digital programs. It has helped more than 86,000 health professionals across Australia. It is vital that we support our healthcare workers, who have always been there to care for us. The Albanese government is also investing $203 million this year in the rollout of the Student Wellbeing Boost for every school and student across the country. On average, each school will get $20,000, depending on its need and size. In addition to the boost, all Australian education ministers have signed a new five-year $307 million Federation Funding Agreement to deliver the National Student Wellbeing Program.

Back in my electorate of Cunningham, there are some absolutely outstanding local initiatives that are shining a light on mental health. Last year, on Christmas Day, the member for Wollongong, Paul Scully, and I spent some time visiting some amazing businesses and organisations that opened their doors to ensure that no-one was left alone on what can be a very isolating day. We started our day at The Foundery in Port Kembla, where their volunteers joined forces with the Salvation Army to provide a special Christmas brunch for those looking for a friendly face. Local business owners Wayne and Jane from Tonitto Continental Cakes donated some amazing pastries and cakes from their shop across the street. There was even enough left over to take to our second stop of the day, the One Door Wollongong and Illawarra Clubhouse. One Door Mental Health Wollongong provides specialised mental health services to the Illawarra region, including centre based services, one-on-one support and assistance in transitioning to the NDIS. Here we caught up with Shannon, who is a fierce advocate for fixing the NDIS, having attended local rallies and campaigns for many years. It was great to spend time with participants and carers alike, who were able to spend the holiday with those who simply understood.

I would like to thank my good friend Janine Cullen and Clifford Jackson, Donna Walker and Artemis Atkinson for their dedication to supporting and promoting mental health in our community. Mental illnesses can be severely exacerbated during the holiday period, and I thank these volunteers for recognising that support should be a priority during this time.

To end the day, we stopped at His Boy Elroy, in Wollongong, who, along with their associated mental health initiative, the Barstool Brothers, provided a free burger to anyone who had nowhere else to go. To Lachie, Daniel and Selena, thank you so much for giving up your day to cook for, converse with and support those who really needed it. I also thank Zweefers cake shop for donating dessert for the occasion. It was truly heartwarming to see so many local businesses joining forces to make Christmas Day so special for those around them.

It would be remiss of me to not mention the Barstool Brothers and not highlight another amazing new venture they are about to undertake—these guys are amazing. The Barstool Brothers community initiative has seen their local member base grow to over 1,500 men, and it continues to grow through the running of multiple free social events every month, with a focus on helping to facilitate relationship growth and support between men. In less than a month, their members will tackle the Kokoda Trail, documenting the journey while producing a film that they hope will inspire, educate, and reassure men battling mental health that they are not alone. The group going to Kokoda plans to be open and vulnerable about their mental health battles, in what they hope will be an extremely raw look at the struggles that men can face, quite often in silence. They will also be exploring the traits that our heroic diggers encapsulated, such as mateship, resilience, and courage, and how they relate to modern day men and the values that Australians are proud to be known for.

I'm excited to watch these Wollongong men continue to push for positive change, and I look forward to following their journey through Kokoda.

James Stevens (Sturt, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There being no further speakers, the debate is adjourned, and the resumption of debate will be made an order of the day for the next sitting.

Sitting suspended from 13:31 to 1 5 : 59