Corinne Mulholland (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I am a proud Queenslander, and everyone here knows that there is a unique brand of resilience forged in Queensland. We face cyclones, floods and droughts, and we keep going. But behind that tough exterior many Queenslanders are struggling in silence. Mental health is not something that most of us talk about easily or comfortably, but it is an issue that touches every community, every family and far too many lives. I am incredibly proud the Albanese government is stepping up to deliver real support where it is needed most with new Medicare mental health clinics in our local communities. I'm even prouder that we have delivered 23 of those centres across Queensland, because it is a promise that we kept to many local communities. These centres provide free mental health care and support. They're staffed by professionals like psychologists, mental health nurses, social workers and more. You don't need an appointment, a mental health plan or a referral. You can just walk in. We know for far too many people that help feels out of reach. People in need can't afford to wait weeks for an appointment or travel long distances to see someone, and you certainly can't be told to toughen up when you're dealing with grief, anxiety or despair. Mental health care is not a luxury; it is health care.

We've already opened 12 of 23 Medicare mental health clinics across Queensland, including the new Caboolture Medicare mental health centre, which I was honoured to officially open last week with Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Emma McBride. That centre represents a promise kept to the people of Caboolture and to the local community. At the Caboolture Medicare mental health clinic, I met Michael and his wife, Kim. Michael is a local, and he has already been accessing the centre's free services. Michael and Kim told us the services and programs he has been accessing have helped him to feel more comfortable in his own skin, to be more confident and to be able to get the best out of his life. His family has seen an improvement in Michael's overall wellbeing. Michael's story is why mental health care should be accessible no matter your postcode, and that's why Labor is building Medicare mental health centres in communities all over Queensland. We've already opened them in places like Bundaberg, Gladstone, Ipswich, Kingaroy, Logan, Redlands, Rockhampton, the Sunshine Coast and Townsville. It is so important in Queensland, where, tragically, we have seen some of the highest rates of suicide and depression in the country.

Labor's Medicare mental health centres offer a new kind of support—compassionate, timely, easy to access and judgement free. In those centres, trained professionals will be there to listen, to treat and to guide people through whatever they're facing. Importantly, those centres will be able to support people across the mental health spectrum, from early intervention to more complex care, whether it's anxiety, lifelong depression, a moment of trauma or even suicidal thoughts. Maybe you just need a chat because things don't seem right, or maybe you need to bring in a mate, your adolescent child or even your mum—whoever needs help. The Medicare mental health clinics will work alongside our Medicare urgent care clinics to bring free essential health care into local communities. It's about bringing care closer to home and breaking down the stigma. So let me say this clearly to all Queenslanders and to all Australians: you are not alone.