Raff Ciccone (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

At the request of Senator Marielle Smith, I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that it was National Mental Health Week from 5 to 12 October 2019, National Headspace Day on 9 October 2019 and World Mental Health Day on 10 October 2019;

(b) recognises that:

(i) in Australia around 950,000 young Australians (12 to 25) will be affected by a mental health issue each year,

(ii) Headspace has been instrumental in assisting young Australians to strengthen their wellbeing and manage their mental health,

(iii) Headspace has assisted 520,000 young people since it was established in 2006, and

(iv) more needs to be done to tackle the mental health crisis in Australia; and

(c) calls on the Federal Government to take action to reduce the stigma that sadly still surrounds mental health conditions, explore greater investment opportunities in mental health and move ahead on delivering the new Headspace centres it promised during the election campaign.

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Australian government is doing all that is mentioned in the motion. The mental wellbeing of Australians is a priority for the Morrison government in the 2019-20 budget. We've committed a record $736 million for mental health, including $503.1 million for our youth and Indigenous mental health and suicide prevention plan. This includes $111 million to expand our headspace network by 30 sites and $152 million to reduce headspace waiting times. By raising mental health to being a key pillar of the health system and providing record funding, expected to reach a record $5.3 billion this year alone, we are tackling stigma and delivering more of the frontline services that safeguard the mental health of all Australians.

Question agreed to.