Joanne Ryan (Lalor, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise tonight to laud the Albanese Labor government on their $1.1 billion commitment to bolster and strengthen the mental health support being provided across this country. I can't think of a more important issue than to support people when they are suffering from mental ill health.

To highlight how this is assisting in my electorate, I'm going to share with the House an announcement that was made in the neighbouring electorate of Gellibrand, in Point Cook, at the Point Cook Town Centre last week. This was to announce a perinatal mental health centre in partnership with the Gidget Foundation Australia. It was a proud moment for Melbourne's west to see something being done to support mums and dads in the incredibly exciting but often stressful and isolating time near birth. The statistics tell us that one in five women and one in 10 men report anxiety and depression during their parental journey. This government has committed $42.9 million to support another 20 of these centres nationally. They will make an extraordinary difference in the community of Wyndham and an extraordinary difference across the country.

Similarly, in the electorate of Lalor I visited our headspace recently. It was on World Mental Health Day that I managed a visit to headspace. It was an opportunity to meet the dedicated local team led by clinical services manager Priya Hastak and to see firsthand the incredible work they do every day to support young people in our community. Nationally, we've made a commitment of $72.7 million to headspaces. Locally, that's a $442,000 commitment to the headspace in my community. It's more than just a mental health clinic; it's a safe place, a local hub and a trusted part of our community fabric. The team there understands the unique character and challenges of Wyndham, one of the fastest-growing and youngest areas in Australia. The team works closely with welfare teams in local schools, with community organisations and with families to identify and support young people before challenges escalate to a point where clinical intervention is required. The comradeship and professionalism within the team were evident and gave me confidence—a group deeply connected to the community that they serve. I want to specifically acknowledge and thank the Werribee team for their compassion, skill and commitment to the wellbeing of the young people in Lalor.

This is a government, the Albanese Labor government, that recognises that youth mental health must be a national priority, and this is why Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Emma McBride announced that $72.7 million investment. It's also why she was with me in Point Cook making the announcement for the Gidget regarding the other centre that I spoke about. This funding, the $72.7 million, will provide additional staff to reduce wait times in headspaces; fund new group and single session therapy programs; deliver capital infrastructure upgrades to make centres safer and more welcoming; and expand inclusive programs for First Nations young people, LGBTIQA youth and those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. On top of that commitment, we are also doing 50 Medicare mental health hubs around the country. This is a government absolutely committed to putting the planks in place to support people wherever they live in this country. Under the former Liberal government, services like headspace were left to do more with less. Waitlists grew, workforces struggled and community like Lalor were overlooked. The Albanese Labor government is reversing that neglect by investing, rebuilding and delivering services close to home.

For local families, it means shorter wait times and better access to support right in my community. For our schools, it means stronger partnerships with mental health professionals who know their students and their circumstances. I can't stress enough how important that is and how pleasing it was to hear that our headspace was connecting directly with our local schools and with teachers and welfare teams who know the young people very closely and who can make those referrals in a really informed way. The headspace team at Werribee exemplifies what community based mental health care should look like: local, inclusive and deeply human.