Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Will the government agree to Labor's proposal to extend Medicare rural incentives to bushfire affected areas and work with states to provide counselling for kids in affected schools?

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member would be aware of the mental health package and the other support measures that have been directed to support students in schools in bushfire affected areas. That has been part of the response of the government through the National Bushfire Recovery Agency. I've also had very good discussions with the New South Wales Premier, in particular, about the measures that they are also developing and delivering in the bushfire affected areas. And the same is true of the programs that have been put in place by the Victorian government and working with the Victorian Premier.

There are so many upsetting and devastating impacts of these recent fires. The impact on the mental health and wellbeing of children and the trauma caused to those who may not have lived in the bushfire affected areas but had travelled to those areas and had seen things that they had never seen before are very much foremost in the minds of the government and the actions of the National Bushfire Recovery Agency. We have already made commitments in that area, and we will be assessing carefully what else needs to be done. I will ask the Minister for Health if there is anything that he would like to add to that answer.

Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thanks very much to the Prime Minister and the member for McMahon. As the Prime Minister said, we've already made available $76 million to assist with the mental health and circumstances of people within the bushfire areas. I had the privilege, again, of visiting one of those particular areas with the member for Indi as well as with the local member at the state level, Bill Tilley. We met those that had been affected in the Corryong area as well as in the Wodonga area. In particular, we visited Corryong Health and worked through with them an example of that which was required. Funding has been provided, I believe, to 11 primary health networks to assist with needs. In particular, I think about $9.3 million has been paid so far to assist with those needs through the primary health networks. In addition to that, we have made available up to 10 free counselling services for individuals and, beyond counselling services, up to 10 free psychological services through Medicare. We are also working on any further requirements with the states as well as with the primary health networks, and they have a direct line to us. If more is required, more will be provided. I know a particular form was put forward by the opposition. There were some problems, I believe, with the way that form was put forward, but we are always looking for constructive initiatives.

Having been in Corryong with the member for Indi, I have to say that what struck me was that the mental health package was announced on the Sunday and we were meeting people who were delivering that on the Wednesday. It was one of the fastest deployments of medical and mental health services that one could hope to see, and those on the ground deserve our thanks.