Fiona Phillips (Gilmore, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Home Affairs has confirmed that, despite announcing a mental health national action plan for emergency workers on 12 January this year, at the height of the bushfires, the plan won't be implemented until halfway through next year. How many more bushfire seasons will have to pass before emergency workers get the mental health support the Prime Minister announced?

David Littleproud (Maranoa, National Party, Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for her question. I am happy to advise the member that $11.5 million has been committed to Fortem Australia and the Black Dog Institute of Australia to support emergency services personnel around, in particular, PTSD. That will complement a range of other mental health initiatives that we have put out. This is not just the federal government's responsibility. We are working with the states as well.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

David Littleproud (Maranoa, National Party, Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Those opposite, who engage and interject, need to appreciate that states have always had the operational management of emergency management. They are the professionals. They have done an exemplary job and we should be proud of them. This is above politics; this is about people. Both state and federal governments are working together to make sure we have a world-class mental health program for our first responders. And we are doing that with those who know best—Fortem Australia and the Black Dog Institute. We will make sure that whatever investment needs to be made with the states continues. That is our responsibility to the states—supporting them and making sure we have a world-class mental health program for our emergency services personnel.