Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Boyce for her question. I know she has an ongoing interest in this area, and it was disappointing to see the spin in the last part of the question. The government thanks Professor Mendoza for his services as chair of the National Advisory Council on Mental Health over the last few years. The government appreciates the advice he has provided us during his time and his strong commitment to improving mental health services in our community. We agree with Professor Mendoza that there is much more work to be done in improving mental health services in Australia. The Prime Minister, Minister Roxon and I have made that clear on a number of occasions.

However, the minister and I do reject Professor Mendoza’s assertion that the government has no commitment to mental health. The structural reforms agreed to as part of the historic COAG agreement in April this year, particularly in primary care, lay a strong foundation for further reform in mental health. The 2010 budget includes $175 million for mental health services, focusing on improving services for young people through new investments and programs such as headspace. This is entirely consistent with the national advisory council’s recommendations. Of course, we do wish Professor Mendoza well in his future endeavours, but the government is doing proactive work in mental health. The government is committed to ensuring Australia has a sustainable and effective mental health system. As I indicated, $175.8 million was announced in the budget to improve our mental health system— (Time expired)