Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

Patrick McGorry is an expert, and I have spoken to Professor McGorry about this as I often speak about mental health issues with him. As honourable members know, one of the key commitments of our government is to preserve and enhance the mental wealth—the mental health—of Australia. As Professor McGorry's counterpart, another great Australian psychiatrist, Professor Ian Hickie, talks about the importance of the mental health of Australia he talks about the mental wealth of nations. We have a $192 million commitment to new mental health services, and I look forward to the health minister having the opportunity to say some more about that today if honourable members want to go into this.

Let me get back to the point I was making before I was interrupted by the Manager of Opposition Business. Labor's point is to say that because they believe a small number of people will participate in the debate in an intemperate and harsh way, perhaps in a discourteous and cruel way, then everybody else in Australia—the other 99 per cent of Australians—should not be able to have a say. That is ridiculous. It is completely ridiculously, and if that proposition were accepted, how are we going to go with a referendum on constitutional recognition? Are we not going to have that because there are some people who will make unkind, racist remarks? Are we going to disentitle all Australians from having a say because of a small minority—(Time expired)

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