❓ Opposition MP L'Estrange questions the Minister for Mental Health about a reported decrease in the suicide prevention budget despite increased demand for Lifeline WA's services. The Minister responds by highlighting increased overall spending on mental health and criticising the previous government's financial management.
AnsweredQoN 713Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
SUICIDE PREVENTION
STRATEGY
713. Mr S.K. L'ESTRANGE to the Minister for Mental
Health:
Before I ask my question, on behalf
of the opposition I send our condolences to the loved ones, friends and
colleagues of the social worker who recently went to the aid of somebody
suffering mental health concerns and was tragically killed. Given it is Mental
Health Week, my question is to the Minister for Mental Health. Lifeline WA's
2017–18 annual report shows that over the past year calls to the WA
helpline increased by 11.3 per cent. The report also shows that of those who
reached out for help, 11 per cent were at imminent risk of suicide. Why is this
year's prevention budget 11 per cent less than last year's
budget's actual estimated spending?
STRATEGY
713. Mr S.K. L'ESTRANGE to the Minister for Mental
Health:
Before I ask my question, on behalf
of the opposition I send our condolences to the loved ones, friends and
colleagues of the social worker who recently went to the aid of somebody
suffering mental health concerns and was tragically killed. Given it is Mental
Health Week, my question is to the Minister for Mental Health. Lifeline WA's
2017–18 annual report shows that over the past year calls to the WA
helpline increased by 11.3 per cent. The report also shows that of those who
reached out for help, 11 per cent were at imminent risk of suicide. Why is this
year's prevention budget 11 per cent less than last year's
budget's actual estimated spending?
AnswerView source ↗
I, too, wish to add my sincerest
condolences to the family of the social worker who was working for Neami National.
That organisation provides important mental health services to our community.
Anyone who is part of the mental health community has felt this very sincerely
across the sector, and all our hearts go out to the family, friends and
colleagues of that worker. I add that I have spoken to the CEO of Neami National
on a number of occasions since the events of Saturday night, and made sure that
he is aware that we are all thinking of them and the difficult circumstances
they now find themselves in.
Mental health continues to be a complex
and difficult area to work in. We know that because the incidence of mental ill
health in our community is rising. That is as a result, I think, of greater
awareness, but it is also as a result of the pressures of a modern and changing
society. That is why the McGowan Labor government is spending more on mental
health than any state government in the history of this state. We are spending
more than any government before, and in this year alone an extra $2 million is
being spent on mental health services in Western Australia. That is because we
believe that it is an important part of what we do to continue to improve
mental health services in the community. Over the course of the forward
estimates of the current budget this state will spend an extra $56.2 million on
mental health services through the Mental Health Commission.
In coming to us and asking, ''Why
aren't you spending more?''—in fact, we are. We are
spending according to the plans of the Mental Health Commission, which go to
the prevention strategies and plans that it put in place and working with the
government and not-for-profit sector to ensure that as best we can in terms of
taxpayers' dollars people continue to receive the best possible care.
We are increasing expenditure in the face of state finances that were left in a
ruinous state by you lot when you were in government. Not only are we
undertaking budget repair and ensuring that we are improving the state's
finances, but also we are continuing to spend more on those services that
people in Western Australia so desperately need.
The
work that Lifeline does both as a not-for-profit, depending upon the great
support that it gets from the community, but also from the work that we do by
contributing to their resources, continues to be tough. It is good that people
in the community are reaching out to organisations like Lifeline for help. We
will continue to support organisations like Lifeline to make sure that they
have the services that they need to work in partnership with the Western Australian
government to get mental health services as best we can to people in the
community. We are spending more than ever before. We are spending more than the
former government did and we will continue to spend more on mental health. That
is in the context of the dreadful state of finances that the former government
left us, and we are fixing the state's budget and spending more on
mental health. I think that is an exemplary record.
condolences to the family of the social worker who was working for Neami National.
That organisation provides important mental health services to our community.
Anyone who is part of the mental health community has felt this very sincerely
across the sector, and all our hearts go out to the family, friends and
colleagues of that worker. I add that I have spoken to the CEO of Neami National
on a number of occasions since the events of Saturday night, and made sure that
he is aware that we are all thinking of them and the difficult circumstances
they now find themselves in.
Mental health continues to be a complex
and difficult area to work in. We know that because the incidence of mental ill
health in our community is rising. That is as a result, I think, of greater
awareness, but it is also as a result of the pressures of a modern and changing
society. That is why the McGowan Labor government is spending more on mental
health than any state government in the history of this state. We are spending
more than any government before, and in this year alone an extra $2 million is
being spent on mental health services in Western Australia. That is because we
believe that it is an important part of what we do to continue to improve
mental health services in the community. Over the course of the forward
estimates of the current budget this state will spend an extra $56.2 million on
mental health services through the Mental Health Commission.
In coming to us and asking, ''Why
aren't you spending more?''—in fact, we are. We are
spending according to the plans of the Mental Health Commission, which go to
the prevention strategies and plans that it put in place and working with the
government and not-for-profit sector to ensure that as best we can in terms of
taxpayers' dollars people continue to receive the best possible care.
We are increasing expenditure in the face of state finances that were left in a
ruinous state by you lot when you were in government. Not only are we
undertaking budget repair and ensuring that we are improving the state's
finances, but also we are continuing to spend more on those services that
people in Western Australia so desperately need.
The
work that Lifeline does both as a not-for-profit, depending upon the great
support that it gets from the community, but also from the work that we do by
contributing to their resources, continues to be tough. It is good that people
in the community are reaching out to organisations like Lifeline for help. We
will continue to support organisations like Lifeline to make sure that they
have the services that they need to work in partnership with the Western Australian
government to get mental health services as best we can to people in the
community. We are spending more than ever before. We are spending more than the
former government did and we will continue to spend more on mental health. That
is in the context of the dreadful state of finances that the former government
left us, and we are fixing the state's budget and spending more on
mental health. I think that is an exemplary record.
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