Stirling Griff (SA, Centre Alliance) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator McKenzie, the Minister for Regional Services. South Australia is reportedly set to receive $122 million from the $1.45 billion committed in January to mental health services, including funding for more mental health nurses and Indigenous mental health. South Australia suffers from chronic shortages from mental health nurses, particularly in regional and remote areas.

However, the safety of nurses in remote areas is especially important in my state, following the murder of a remote area nurse, Gayle Woodford, in March 2016. Gayle's death prompted national calls for the implementation of Gayle's law, which would see no remote area nurse being required to attend a call-out alone. As part of the government funding commitment, Primary Health Networks will be required to provide more job certainty through longer contracts. As well as job certainty, will the government ensure it is only funding services that provide safe working conditions for mental health nurses working in regional and remote areas?