Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Ageing) Share this | Hansard source

I think I was up to commencement dates when I was answering the member for Lalor’s previous questions. I think we are up to the better access to psychiatrists, psychologists and general practitioners through the Medicare Benefits Schedule, to which many of her questions related, so I will return to that. The start-up date is 1 November 2006 and the amount of money is $538 million over the next five years. Funding for telephone counselling, self-help and web based support programs is expected to begin on 1 July 2006. There is $56.9 million over five years for that. Assistance for the national telephony system is one payment this financial year—that is $2.4 million to Lifeline.

Alerting the community to links between illicit drugs such as cannabis and mental illness is a matter which I think Deputy Speaker Bishop is particularly interested in and speaks on regularly. I think she has played a significant role in ensuring that money has been put aside for this issue. That begins on 1 July 2006 and it involves $21.6 million over four years. Improved services for people with drug and alcohol problems and mental illness starts from 1 July 2006 and involves $73.9 million over five years. Increased funding for the Mental Health Council of Australia commences in the 2006-07 financial year and involves $1 million over five years. Mental health services in rural and remote areas commence on 1 November 2006 and will have $51.7 million over five years. The additional education places, scholarships and clinical training in mental health commences in 2007 and involves $103.5 million over five years. Mental health in tertiary curricula commences in 2007 and involves $5.6 million over five years. There are a lot of programs and you did ask for the commencement dates. I am sorry if that is taking a bit longer than you expected but, of course, it is a very big package and therefore will take some time.

See this speech in context