Melissa McIntosh (Lindsay, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention) Share this | Hansard source

First and foremost, I want to touch on the government's commitment, or lack thereof, to have in place a program to assist those who had Medicare-subsidised psychology sessions ripped away from them. In December last year the government released the Better Access initiative evaluation. Recommendation 12 noted that the sessions should not be cut for those with complex needs, yet they were axed. Why, in the most recent budget, did the minister choose not to restore the full 20 Better Access Medicare-subsidised psychology sessions in line with the report that says they shouldn't have been cut? Has the minister formally rejected recommendation 12? Was this on a budgetary basis and therefore putting the budget ahead of the wellbeing of Australians?

Among a number of commitments made in the budget-in-reply speech by the Leader of the Opposition, he outlined that a Dutton-led coalition government would restore, permanently, the 20 Medicare-subsidised psychology sessions. When speaking with mental health stakeholders right across the country, I hear that they are happy the coalition has made this announcement and commitment to mental health in Australia. It is the right thing to do. We have a mental health crisis in this country, and this government is not listening to the sector and the Australians suffering mental health issues and their families—and I particularly highlight young people in Western Sydney, who I speak to every day on this issue. There is a petition going around with over 45,000 signatures, calling on the government to return these sessions.

Given the government took away the Better Access sessions without support in the interim until a full mental health reform plan is unveiled, why won't the government continue to bridge the gap for children, young women with anxiety, young men with suicidal ideation, mums and dads struggling to cope with cost-of-living pressures and Australians trying to move through after COVID and multiple natural disasters? Further on this, the Minister for Health and Aged Care said, on 12 May, that keeping the full Better Access sessions was 'lazy policy'. I wonder if he would characterise axing a program and not providing any support in the interim as lazy policy? That is exactly what he did. Page 140 of the 2023-24 Budget Paper No. 2 notes:

The Government has provisioned funding for future mental health priorities in response to the Better Access evaluation.

Why isn't the amount that has been provisioned available in the budget papers? When will the amount provisioned be made publicly available? Over how many years has the funding been provisioned?

It is pleasing to see in the mental health budget a further two years confirmed to extend the Commonwealth's support for psychosocial programs for those with severe mental health illnesses who are not part of the NDIS. I'm proud to have advocated on this important issue.

Health workforce is an issue for every government. It doesn't matter what side they are on. The retention of additional psychology placements is welcomed. However, we need to do more on this front to attract and retain those employed in the mental health sector who provide care. That is why I find it astounding that the federal government is not recommitting to small funding opportunities such as funding the University of Canberra's early mental health intervention program. They run a clinical program performed by master's psychology students which helps 14- to 21-year-olds with self-harming behaviour, suicidal ideation and early signs of borderline personality disorder. The Canberra Times today has reported the clinic needs just $300,000 to continue the program on a yearly basis. Under the coalition government, the program ran from July 2019, until June 2023. The Youth Coalition of the ACT has noted it is their No. 1 priority for the ACT budget. Given the Commonwealth didn't provide more funding, what are they going to do to support young people in the ACT and their commitment to skill masters students to benefit of all?

This isn't the only mental health program on the chopping block. Uniting's Continuing to be Me program and the related @home program that were funded under the previous coalition government aren't receiving ongoing funding. In particular, the service for elderly patients with mild to moderate mental health needs in south-western Sydney will cease on 30 June. Why is the government cutting programs that help senior Australians combat mental health challenges? In sum, the mental health budget needs drastic improvement by the minister and the government. It would be helpful if the health minister, Mark Butler, were here to answer this question, but I will ask: when is the minister going to start prioritising mental health?

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