Andrew Hastie (Canning, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to update the House on the success of the petition of the Peel Youth Medical Service, also known as PYMS, for a headspace facility in Mandurah. Headspace provides early intervention mental health services to 12- to 25-year-olds, and assists young people and their families to improve wellbeing by focusing on mental health, physical health, work and study support, and alcohol and other drugs services.

The petition was born out of a need to better equip local young people with the right tools to deal with their mental health issues. Over the course of the campaign, we gathered 3,400 signatures and rallied the support of community leaders, local government and state parliamentary representatives.

Having briefed the health minister about the petition on a number of occasions, I was honoured to host him at the Peel Youth Medical Service last week, where he announced that Mandurah would receive a headspace facility within the year. Prior to this announcement, the nearest headspace was an hour away from Mandurah. Mandurah headspace will be centrally located, less than a 10-minute walk from the transit station, allowing ease of access for young people coming into Mandurah from the surrounding areas.

Importantly, the facility will be located in the PYMS health hub, a one-stop-shop for young people dealing with mental and physical health issues, supported by other health professionals such as GPs and counsellors. The Mandurah headspace is a critical piece of infrastructure for young people in the Peel region, and everyone who supported this petition can be proud of their advocacy.