Luke Howarth (Petrie, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I want to talk about mental health. I rise to thank the locals and organisations in my electorate who selflessly support some of the most vulnerable people in our community. Last week I caught up with the Way Back Support Service in Redcliffe, based at Encircle, who do an incredible job locally through their suicide prevention program. I was able to secure $1.2 million for the organisation, over four years, to support and expand their services over the next few years. For people living with a mental illness, life is incredibly hard. And this hardship doesn't just affect the person; it also affects their family, their friends and our community as a whole. Madeleine, from the Lakes College in North Lakes, wrote to me. She said: 'I have witnessed firsthand the devastating and debilitating impacts of mental health both in respect to personal experience and in witnessing the collective effect it has had on those around me. Plans must be put in place to work towards creating an environment that allows students to succeed academically without having to neglect their own mental health. Mental health issues do not have to be part of life. Anxiety and depression are not part of growing up. This is something that needs to change and will only change with your help.' Madeleine is right, and that is why this government is acting—with millions of dollars invested for more services for people living with mental health, millions of dollars to trial eight adult mental health centres, 30 new headspaces and $54 million over six years to establish four specialist residential facilities for eating disorders. (Time expired)

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