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

October was Mental Health Month, which is an opportunity for every one of us to reflect on the importance of mental health care, access, dignity and hope in every Australian community. In the electorate of Spence these words carry meaning, because we are delivering the services that our community has asked for. They are services that are saving lives, supporting families and reaching people earlier—before crisis sets in.

This government, this parliament and this community understand that mental health care is not a luxury; it is a core part of our health system, and a foundation of a fair and caring society. That is why the Albanese Labor government is delivering more mental health care in the part of the community where people live, work, study and raise families. We made a historic commitment of $1.1 billion at the last election to deliver free walk-in mental health services across the country and to build mental health systems that meet people where they are no matter their postcode, age or income. This funding supports new and expanded services across the full lifespan, from early childhood through adolescence into parenthood and beyond. It is a vision backed by action. Nowhere is that clearer than in my electorate.

In the northern suburbs we have delivered the Northern Adelaide Medicare Mental Health Centre, located in the heart of Elizabeth. This service offers free walk-in mental health support seven days a week, with extended hours—no appointment, no referral and no gap fees. It brings together a multidisciplinary team—psychologists and social workers, mental health workers and peer workers—all working together to provide wraparound care. People in crisis can walk through the door and know they will be treated with dignity, compassion and professionalism, people like Ruth, who said, 'I'm 55 and I cannot thank Northern Adelaide Medicare Mental Health Centre enough. I was listened to and supported with no judgement, and talked with a peer worker with lived experience. I finally found a place for me. They get me and they understand me.' That is what community based care looks like and that is what our government is delivering, but we didn't stop there.

Mental Health Month is also Youth Mental Health Month, and I'm proud to confirm in this place that Gawler will soon have its own Headspace service. The Gawler Headspace centre will open its doors in coming weeks, so stay tuned closely for that announcement. This is a major win for young people across the Gawler region and is something the community has fought for for many years. Young people aged 12 to 25 will now be able to access support for the mental health and wellbeing free of charge and close to home. They won't need to travel to the city or wait in long queues or pay out-of-pocket gap fees for basic support. Most importantly, they will be able to walk into a service that understands them, listens to them and provides tailored help.

We also continue to support Headspace Edinburgh North, another vital part of our youth mental health system. On Headspace Day, 9 October, we announced another $275,000 in funding for the Edinburgh North site to upgrade facilities, improve accessibility and enhance IT capacity. That investment will ensure the service remains modern, fit for purpose and able to respond to increasing demand. It sends a clear message that we don't just open centres and walk away; we continue to support and strengthen them over time.

Supporting the next generation means supporting new and expectant parents, because the mental health journey begins well before birth. That's why I'm proud that Elizabeth will be home to one of Australia's new perinatal mental health centres. These centres are purpose-built to support new and expectant mums and dads during what can be a beautiful but vulnerable time. Many parents experience as anxiety, depression or emotional distress during the perinatal period, and they often feel isolated, guilty or unsure where to turn. Our perinatal mental health centre in Elizabeth will provide that support in a welcoming, nonjudgemental way.

All of this reflects a broader commitment to mental health system that is free, local, accessible and compassionate. Across the country we are delivering 91 Medicare Mental Health Centres for walk-in multidisciplinary care, 20 perinatal mental health centres including Elizabeth, 17 mental health kids hubs providing emotional and behavioural support for children, and 203 Headspace services supporting the mental wellbeing of young people aged 12 to 25.

But we know the future of mental health also lies in early intervention. That's why from early next year we will launch a new national early intervention service. This will provide free phone and online mental health support staffed by trained professionals for people experiencing distress, anxiety or early signs of illness. It is expected to support more than 150,000 Australians a year. It will fill a gap between prevention and crisis, offering care at the first sign of struggle. This model reflects modern life, where people need flexible access to care—after hours, online and without barriers. It's about meeting Australians where they are and making it as easy as possible for them to get help.

We also know that more access requires more people. That's why we're investing in the mental health workforce across every level of the system. That includes over 4,000 scholarships, internships and training places for psychology students to build the next generation of clinicians. It includes investing in social workers, occupational therapists, peer workers and GPs, to make sure every professional has the tools and training they need. And it includes valuing lived experience—not as an afterthought, but as a vital part of recovery and care.

Next year, we will establish a Peer Workforce Association, to recognise, professionalise and support the peer workforce across Australia. We'll also conduct the first-ever census of the peer workforce, to better understand how to support and expand this vital group, because someone who's been through the system and knows what it feels like to struggle can offer something powerful: empathy, trust, and hope. That word 'hope' is at the heart of everything we're doing: hope for young people who feel like the walls are closing in; hope for parents who don't know how to support their child; hope for workers managing stress, burnout or trauma; hope for men who feel they have no-one to talk to, and for women who carry too much, too silently—hope that if you reach out there'll be someone there to listen to you.

This month, many Australians will grow a moustache for Movember, to raise awareness of men's mental health, suicide prevention and early intervention. It's a reminder that behind every face is a story, a struggle and a community. Initiatives like Beyond Blue, Lifeline, Kids Helpline and 13YARN also play a vital role in helping people to stay connected and supported. But our job as a parliament is to ensure that government does its part too, by investing in services before crisis strikes and reducing wait times; eliminating gap fees and making help easier to access; building a system that is community based, culturally safe and evidence-informed; supporting First Nations led mental health services, because the journey to healing must be grounded in voice, culture and self-determination; continuing to listen to young people, parents, clinicians and those with lived experience; treating mental health not as a line item in a budget but as a fundamental component of Australia's social fabric; and embedding mental health care into our health system in the same way we do for physical injuries or chronic disease—because mental health is health and because no Australian should ever feel alone, ashamed or unsupported when they're doing it tough.

In the north, we're showing what it means to put these words into action. We've opened new doors in Elizabeth, Gawler and Edinburgh North, where we're creating new pathways for young people, for parents and for those who just need someone to talk to. We're investing in new futures, where care is accessible, recovery is possible and support is never out of reach. That's the difference good government makes. That's what it means to strengthen Medicare and restore integrity to our mental health system and that's what we will continue to deliver, not just during Mental Health Month but every day.

I commend our government's work and reaffirm our shared commitment to the mental health of every Australian in every corner of the country. Don't forget to check in on your friends and family, but, most importantly, don't forget to check in on yourself and give yourself the care you might need to feel okay.

Leon Rebello (McPherson, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to speak on this important motion. Mental health is one of the defining challenges of our time. It reaches into every home, every school and every workplace, and it is something that government simply cannot afford to get wrong. We all know someone who has been or is struggling. It's the young person who can't get the right support at school, the parent quietly carrying a heavy burden or the colleague who suffers in silence.

Our country is facing a mental health epidemic. According to the ABS, around one in five Australians experience a mental or behavioural condition each year. Rates of psychological distress have never been higher, and yet access to help has never been harder. Despite billions in federal investment, outcomes are going backwards. Children are waiting months for appointments, and families are being pushed to breaking point. Communities are crying out for help, but under this Labor government the system is going in reverse.

The system under Labor is completely backwards. We saw it when Labor cut Medicare subsidised psychology sessions in half, a lifeline that thousands of Australians relied upon. They took away something that was working, leaving vulnerable families to fend for themselves. In my own electorate of McPherson, the need is undeniable. Nearly eight per cent of locals live with a long-term mental health condition and more than one in five report a mental or behavioural disorder. Behind each statistic is a person, a family or a community trying to hold it together.

Deputy Speaker Small, as you will well and truly know, in this role we have the opportunity to meet with people from across our community, to hear their stories, to understand their experiences and then, ultimately, to represent them here in this place. Soon after I was elected as the federal member for McPherson, I met with a local family from Palm Beach who spoke to me about the fact that they will never forget the day that their world fell apart. A father who had been battling depression attempted to take his own life. He survived, but the impact on his wife and his children was immense, and that remains to be the case. When he was released from hospital, he wanted to rebuild, he wanted routine, he wanted connection and he wanted a sense of purpose. He tried to find a part-time job, something small to get him back on track. But, under Labor's welfare system, the moment he earned a few dollars, support was cut off entirely.

It is what we mean when we say Labor policies are backwards. We know that work, routine and social connection are some of the best ways to support recovery and mental wellbeing, yet Labor's system punishes people who try to do the right thing. It traps them into dependence rather than helping them move forward. Why would this Labor government design a system that disincentivises Australians from beginning their journey to easing back into working, contributing and reconnecting? Why don't they trust Australians to make their own choices about gradually transitioning back into work and community life? If they had their own way, no-one who'd been disadvantaged would ever get a fair go at getting back on their feet.

I'm reminded of another one of my constituents, a single mother whose daughter had been dealing with mental health challenges for some time. When Labor halved the Medicare subsidised psychology sessions, it left her in an impossible position. She simply cannot afford the extra cost, and so her daughter goes without. Australians deserve better. They deserve a system that meets them where they are with compassion, flexibility and trust. And it would be remiss of me not to mention the fact that this mother spoke to me about the difficulties that her daughter has accessing mental health support services because of the unique situation they are in, where her father attempted to commit suicide and, thankfully, was unsuccessful. Because of that, this person was unable to access support that was needed. Australians, as I said, deserve better. But, under Labor, their services are cut and support is scarce, and those who are struggling are left out to dry.

We're seeing psychologists, counsellors, nurses and GPs all burning out. Clinics are understaffed, and families are falling through the cracks. I would, however, like to take this opportunity to thank the many people in my community of McPherson, on the southern Gold Coast, who are involved with the provision of mental health services for young people—for people of all ages and people of all backgrounds. They do incredible work keeping our communities' mental health where it should be and encouraging it to go in the right direction.

I also point out, in particular, the fact that the mental health record for men in this country is shocking. Men are three times more likely to die by suicide than females. And they, unfortunately, make up three-quarters of all suicides. The previous speaker on this subject, the member for Spence, mentioned everything the government should do, all of the responsibilities of government in relation to mental health and in relation to health more broadly. What I would say to that member is that the member forms part of the government. There is an opportunity here for the government to do something about this.

We went to the last election committed to restoring the 20 subsidised places for mental health support sessions. That is something that was very well-received in McPherson. Why was it well-received? It was well-received because people on the ground, the everyday men and women that I've had the opportunity to speak to and that I have the privilege of representing in this place, understand that this is a serious issue at the moment—not just in McPherson but across the country. The schools that I go into—with the rise of social media, we're seeing instances of very young people being affected by what they're seeing online, by the way they're being treated online, and that is transitioning into broader mental health issues for them.

Something needs to be done. If there's one thing I know, from my engagement in my community, it's that what is happening in this building with this government is unacceptable. We need to step up and the government needs to step up and provide where there is a need. Right now, there is a need for better funding for mental health support services in Australia.

As I have mentioned, mental health needs to be a national priority. The test of a government's commitment is not the number of their empty promises, it's whether, in a moment of crisis, an Australian can get the support they need. When I was elected to this place I committed, in my maiden speech, to giving a voice to the people of the southern Gold Coast when they needed it. That moment is now. People in McPherson, people across the Gold Coast and people across Australia know well and truly that mental health is something that needs to be prioritised by this government. We, on the coalition side, will continue to make a noise, we will continue to represent our communities about this need for as long as this need remains. Right now far too many people cannot access the services that they need. That is the measure that matters, and on that measure this government, the federal Albanese Labor government, is failing.

Federation Chamber adjourned at 19 : 28