David Coleman (Banks, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Communications) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In an article in the Sydney Morning Herald this morning former Prime Minister Morrison named the mental health agreements that his government achieved with the states as one of his proudest achievements. I want to reflect a little on those agreements and on the achievements of the Morrison government in mental health. I was his assistant minister on mental health and suicide prevention for 18 months from December 2020 until the election, and I do feel that the Prime Minister's legacy in this area is quite significant.

In the 2021-22 budget, the Morrison government committed a record investment of $2.3 billion into mental health and suicide prevention. One of the really important initiatives was the establishment of Head to Health—more than half a billion dollars provided in that budget. That set Head to Health on the path of being what would ultimately become the even larger mental health organisation that headspace is today.

Head to Health is about providing free community based support for people who are struggling with mental health issues who perhaps aren't getting the support they need through the hospital system but who need more support than can be provided simply through GPs and local psychologists. In time there'll be more than 100 Head to Health centres around the country. It's very pleasing to see that the Albanese government is continuing to roll out those Head to Health centres. It's something that we're very proud of.

A very serious but extremely important topic is what's known as aftercare. This is when people are released from hospital after a suicide attempt. In Australia a few years ago only about half of people who were discharged from hospital in that most serious of situations actually received follow-up care in the community. These people are in a very serious situation. Through the agreement with the states and territories, all states and territories and the Commonwealth committed, both in word and in financial deed, to make that universal so that 100 per cent of Australians will get at least three months support in the community upon discharge in that most serious of situations. I'm very proud that we were able to do that.

Eating disorders are another issue that touches so many families in Australia, and the commitment of the Morrison government to establish a world-leading research centre into eating disorders was also a very important achievement of this period.

Prime Minister Morrison was extremely genuine and sincere in his desire to have a very positive impact on the mental health system in Australia. He can be proud of his legacy.