❓ Hon Dr Brian Walker questioned the Mental Health Commission's decision not to renew funding for the Listening Lounge, a peer-based mental health support group. The Minister's representative clarified that funding is not being cut but rather reallocated through Consumers of Mental Health WA (CoMHWA) to continue the service.
AnsweredQoN 396Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
Mental health—Listening Lounge program396.Hon Dr Brian Walkerto the parliamentary secretary representing the Minister
for Mental Health:I refer the minister
to the recent frankly inexplicable decision taken by the Mental Health
Commission of WA not to renew funding for the Listening Lounge, a respected peer-based
support group based in Cloverdale and currently delivering services across Kelmscott,
Joondalup, Leederville, Midland, East Fremantle and Baldivis. Given that the Cook
Labor government has previously championed the role of lived experience in
mental health services, I ask the following.(1) Can the minister please provide a
transparent account of the criteria relied upon to withdraw funding from this
program?(2) Can she suggest any other funding
avenues available to this community-based mental health lifeline?(3) Will she support an urgent review of
this decision well in advance of the 30 June 2026 deadline, after which
the present funding arrangements are scheduled to cease and, if not, why not?
for Mental Health:I refer the minister
to the recent frankly inexplicable decision taken by the Mental Health
Commission of WA not to renew funding for the Listening Lounge, a respected peer-based
support group based in Cloverdale and currently delivering services across Kelmscott,
Joondalup, Leederville, Midland, East Fremantle and Baldivis. Given that the Cook
Labor government has previously championed the role of lived experience in
mental health services, I ask the following.(1) Can the minister please provide a
transparent account of the criteria relied upon to withdraw funding from this
program?(2) Can she suggest any other funding
avenues available to this community-based mental health lifeline?(3) Will she support an urgent review of
this decision well in advance of the 30 June 2026 deadline, after which
the present funding arrangements are scheduled to cease and, if not, why not?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the
honourable member for some notice of the question. The following answer has
been provided by the Minister for Mental Health.
(1)–(3) It is incorrect to state that funding is
being cut or reduced. The Mental Health Commission previously allocated funding
for the Listening Lounge pilot via a grant agreement with a one-year term that was
due to expire on 30 June 2026. Following the 2026–27 state budget
process, the Mental Health Commission has confirmed that it will provide
ongoing funding for Consumers of Mental Health WA (CoMHWA), which will be
utilised to deliver the Listening Lounge service.
honourable member for some notice of the question. The following answer has
been provided by the Minister for Mental Health.
(1)–(3) It is incorrect to state that funding is
being cut or reduced. The Mental Health Commission previously allocated funding
for the Listening Lounge pilot via a grant agreement with a one-year term that was
due to expire on 30 June 2026. Following the 2026–27 state budget
process, the Mental Health Commission has confirmed that it will provide
ongoing funding for Consumers of Mental Health WA (CoMHWA), which will be
utilised to deliver the Listening Lounge service.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.