❓ Opposition questions the Minister about funding for mental health NGOs and the cost of external consultants for mental health policy. The Minister denies claims of starving NGOs and wasting taxpayer money, defending the commissioning of a mental health strategy.
AnsweredQoN 250Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
NON-GOVERNMENT MENTAL HEALTH ORGANISATIONS — FUNDING
(1) Will the minister confirm that additional funding will not be provided to non-government mental health organisations as a result of his decision to spend $1.2 million paying external consultants to write his mental health policy? (2) I refer to a letter from the executive director of the mental health division, which states that additional funding to NGOs is unavailable in 2008-09 and for the foreseeable future. How long will the minister starve these organisations of funds while paying consultants to do his job? Dr G.G. JACOBS
(1) Will the minister confirm that additional funding will not be provided to non-government mental health organisations as a result of his decision to spend $1.2 million paying external consultants to write his mental health policy? (2) I refer to a letter from the executive director of the mental health division, which states that additional funding to NGOs is unavailable in 2008-09 and for the foreseeable future. How long will the minister starve these organisations of funds while paying consultants to do his job? Dr G.G. JACOBS
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the Deputy Leader of the Opposition for the question. (1)-(2) The premise of his question is totally untrue. This government, through me as Minister for Mental Health, has given an undertaking to perform a WA mental health strategy for 2010-2020. That work has been commissioned by a very, very appropriate body. Mr R.H. Cook : At a cost of? Dr G.G. JACOBS : Nowhere near the moneys that the deputy leader referred to. We have done this responsibly and at the best bang for our buck. The deputy leader is well off the mark. We have already commissioned this work. It has been given to a very, very appropriate consultant group — Mr R.H. Cook : Then how much will it cost? Dr G.G. JACOBS : It is at about half the figure that the Deputy Leader of the Opposition describes. The inference that in fact we are wasting taxpayers’ money and starving NGOs is blatantly wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Why is he freezing their funding? Dr G.G. JACOBS : What did the opposition do when they were in government about the plight of people with mental health? They did not do anything. Mental health for them did not even get on the radar. We have responsibly commissioned this work to do a WA strategy in mental health for 2010-2020. The figure the deputy leader describes is more than double the figure—not half a million dollars. I do not know where he is getting his information from. To imply that we are wasting taxpayers’ money and we are blowing it out on a consultancy spree is just scaremongering. We on this side of the house are going to responsibly address the plight of people with mental conditions in Western Australia.
(2) I refer to a letter from the executive director of the mental health division, which states that additional funding to NGOs is unavailable in 2008-09 and for the foreseeable future. How long will the minister starve these organisations of funds while paying consultants to do his job? Dr G.G. JACOBS replied: I thank the Deputy Leader of the Opposition for the question. (1)-(2) The premise of his question is totally untrue. This government, through me as Minister for Mental Health, has given an undertaking to perform a WA mental health strategy for 2010-2020. That work has been commissioned by a very, very appropriate body. Mr R.H. Cook : At a cost of? Dr G.G. JACOBS : Nowhere near the moneys that the deputy leader referred to. We have done this responsibly and at the best bang for our buck. The deputy leader is well off the mark. We have already commissioned this work. It has been given to a very, very appropriate consultant group — Mr R.H. Cook : Then how much will it cost? Dr G.G. JACOBS : It is at about half the figure that the Deputy Leader of the Opposition describes. The inference that in fact we are wasting taxpayers’ money and starving NGOs is blatantly wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Why is he freezing their funding? Dr G.G. JACOBS : What did the opposition do when they were in government about the plight of people with mental health? They did not do anything. Mental health for them did not even get on the radar. We have responsibly commissioned this work to do a WA strategy in mental health for 2010-2020. The figure the deputy leader describes is more than double the figure—not half a million dollars. I do not know where he is getting his information from. To imply that we are wasting taxpayers’ money and we are blowing it out on a consultancy spree is just scaremongering. We on this side of the house are going to responsibly address the plight of people with mental conditions in Western Australia.
Dr G.G. JACOBS replied: I thank the Deputy Leader of the Opposition for the question. (1)-(2) The premise of his question is totally untrue. This government, through me as Minister for Mental Health, has given an undertaking to perform a WA mental health strategy for 2010-2020. That work has been commissioned by a very, very appropriate body. Mr R.H. Cook : At a cost of? Dr G.G. JACOBS : Nowhere near the moneys that the deputy leader referred to. We have done this responsibly and at the best bang for our buck. The deputy leader is well off the mark. We have already commissioned this work. It has been given to a very, very appropriate consultant group — Mr R.H. Cook : Then how much will it cost? Dr G.G. JACOBS : It is at about half the figure that the Deputy Leader of the Opposition describes. The inference that in fact we are wasting taxpayers’ money and starving NGOs is blatantly wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Why is he freezing their funding? Dr G.G. JACOBS : What did the opposition do when they were in government about the plight of people with mental health? They did not do anything. Mental health for them did not even get on the radar. We have responsibly commissioned this work to do a WA strategy in mental health for 2010-2020. The figure the deputy leader describes is more than double the figure—not half a million dollars. I do not know where he is getting his information from. To imply that we are wasting taxpayers’ money and we are blowing it out on a consultancy spree is just scaremongering. We on this side of the house are going to responsibly address the plight of people with mental conditions in Western Australia.
I thank the Deputy Leader of the Opposition for the question. (1)-(2) The premise of his question is totally untrue. This government, through me as Minister for Mental Health, has given an undertaking to perform a WA mental health strategy for 2010-2020. That work has been commissioned by a very, very appropriate body. Mr R.H. Cook : At a cost of? Dr G.G. JACOBS : Nowhere near the moneys that the deputy leader referred to. We have done this responsibly and at the best bang for our buck. The deputy leader is well off the mark. We have already commissioned this work. It has been given to a very, very appropriate consultant group — Mr R.H. Cook : Then how much will it cost? Dr G.G. JACOBS : It is at about half the figure that the Deputy Leader of the Opposition describes. The inference that in fact we are wasting taxpayers’ money and starving NGOs is blatantly wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Why is he freezing their funding? Dr G.G. JACOBS : What did the opposition do when they were in government about the plight of people with mental health? They did not do anything. Mental health for them did not even get on the radar. We have responsibly commissioned this work to do a WA strategy in mental health for 2010-2020. The figure the deputy leader describes is more than double the figure—not half a million dollars. I do not know where he is getting his information from. To imply that we are wasting taxpayers’ money and we are blowing it out on a consultancy spree is just scaremongering. We on this side of the house are going to responsibly address the plight of people with mental conditions in Western Australia.
(1)-(2) The premise of his question is totally untrue. This government, through me as Minister for Mental Health, has given an undertaking to perform a WA mental health strategy for 2010-2020. That work has been commissioned by a very, very appropriate body. Mr R.H. Cook : At a cost of? Dr G.G. JACOBS : Nowhere near the moneys that the deputy leader referred to. We have done this responsibly and at the best bang for our buck. The deputy leader is well off the mark. We have already commissioned this work. It has been given to a very, very appropriate consultant group — Mr R.H. Cook : Then how much will it cost? Dr G.G. JACOBS : It is at about half the figure that the Deputy Leader of the Opposition describes. The inference that in fact we are wasting taxpayers’ money and starving NGOs is blatantly wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Why is he freezing their funding? Dr G.G. JACOBS : What did the opposition do when they were in government about the plight of people with mental health? They did not do anything. Mental health for them did not even get on the radar. We have responsibly commissioned this work to do a WA strategy in mental health for 2010-2020. The figure the deputy leader describes is more than double the figure—not half a million dollars. I do not know where he is getting his information from. To imply that we are wasting taxpayers’ money and we are blowing it out on a consultancy spree is just scaremongering. We on this side of the house are going to responsibly address the plight of people with mental conditions in Western Australia.
Mr R.H. Cook : At a cost of? Dr G.G. JACOBS : Nowhere near the moneys that the deputy leader referred to. We have done this responsibly and at the best bang for our buck. The deputy leader is well off the mark. We have already commissioned this work. It has been given to a very, very appropriate consultant group — Mr R.H. Cook : Then how much will it cost? Dr G.G. JACOBS : It is at about half the figure that the Deputy Leader of the Opposition describes. The inference that in fact we are wasting taxpayers’ money and starving NGOs is blatantly wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Why is he freezing their funding? Dr G.G. JACOBS : What did the opposition do when they were in government about the plight of people with mental health? They did not do anything. Mental health for them did not even get on the radar. We have responsibly commissioned this work to do a WA strategy in mental health for 2010-2020. The figure the deputy leader describes is more than double the figure—not half a million dollars. I do not know where he is getting his information from. To imply that we are wasting taxpayers’ money and we are blowing it out on a consultancy spree is just scaremongering. We on this side of the house are going to responsibly address the plight of people with mental conditions in Western Australia.
Dr G.G. JACOBS : Nowhere near the moneys that the deputy leader referred to. We have done this responsibly and at the best bang for our buck. The deputy leader is well off the mark. We have already commissioned this work. It has been given to a very, very appropriate consultant group — Mr R.H. Cook : Then how much will it cost? Dr G.G. JACOBS : It is at about half the figure that the Deputy Leader of the Opposition describes. The inference that in fact we are wasting taxpayers’ money and starving NGOs is blatantly wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Why is he freezing their funding? Dr G.G. JACOBS : What did the opposition do when they were in government about the plight of people with mental health? They did not do anything. Mental health for them did not even get on the radar. We have responsibly commissioned this work to do a WA strategy in mental health for 2010-2020. The figure the deputy leader describes is more than double the figure—not half a million dollars. I do not know where he is getting his information from. To imply that we are wasting taxpayers’ money and we are blowing it out on a consultancy spree is just scaremongering. We on this side of the house are going to responsibly address the plight of people with mental conditions in Western Australia.
Mr R.H. Cook : Then how much will it cost? Dr G.G. JACOBS : It is at about half the figure that the Deputy Leader of the Opposition describes. The inference that in fact we are wasting taxpayers’ money and starving NGOs is blatantly wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Why is he freezing their funding? Dr G.G. JACOBS : What did the opposition do when they were in government about the plight of people with mental health? They did not do anything. Mental health for them did not even get on the radar. We have responsibly commissioned this work to do a WA strategy in mental health for 2010-2020. The figure the deputy leader describes is more than double the figure—not half a million dollars. I do not know where he is getting his information from. To imply that we are wasting taxpayers’ money and we are blowing it out on a consultancy spree is just scaremongering. We on this side of the house are going to responsibly address the plight of people with mental conditions in Western Australia.
Dr G.G. JACOBS : It is at about half the figure that the Deputy Leader of the Opposition describes. The inference that in fact we are wasting taxpayers’ money and starving NGOs is blatantly wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Why is he freezing their funding? Dr G.G. JACOBS : What did the opposition do when they were in government about the plight of people with mental health? They did not do anything. Mental health for them did not even get on the radar. We have responsibly commissioned this work to do a WA strategy in mental health for 2010-2020. The figure the deputy leader describes is more than double the figure—not half a million dollars. I do not know where he is getting his information from. To imply that we are wasting taxpayers’ money and we are blowing it out on a consultancy spree is just scaremongering. We on this side of the house are going to responsibly address the plight of people with mental conditions in Western Australia.
Mr E.S. Ripper : Why is he freezing their funding? Dr G.G. JACOBS : What did the opposition do when they were in government about the plight of people with mental health? They did not do anything. Mental health for them did not even get on the radar. We have responsibly commissioned this work to do a WA strategy in mental health for 2010-2020. The figure the deputy leader describes is more than double the figure—not half a million dollars. I do not know where he is getting his information from. To imply that we are wasting taxpayers’ money and we are blowing it out on a consultancy spree is just scaremongering. We on this side of the house are going to responsibly address the plight of people with mental conditions in Western Australia.
Dr G.G. JACOBS : What did the opposition do when they were in government about the plight of people with mental health? They did not do anything. Mental health for them did not even get on the radar. We have responsibly commissioned this work to do a WA strategy in mental health for 2010-2020. The figure the deputy leader describes is more than double the figure—not half a million dollars. I do not know where he is getting his information from. To imply that we are wasting taxpayers’ money and we are blowing it out on a consultancy spree is just scaremongering. We on this side of the house are going to responsibly address the plight of people with mental conditions in Western Australia.
(2) I refer to a letter from the executive director of the mental health division, which states that additional funding to NGOs is unavailable in 2008-09 and for the foreseeable future. How long will the minister starve these organisations of funds while paying consultants to do his job? Dr G.G. JACOBS replied: I thank the Deputy Leader of the Opposition for the question. (1)-(2) The premise of his question is totally untrue. This government, through me as Minister for Mental Health, has given an undertaking to perform a WA mental health strategy for 2010-2020. That work has been commissioned by a very, very appropriate body. Mr R.H. Cook : At a cost of? Dr G.G. JACOBS : Nowhere near the moneys that the deputy leader referred to. We have done this responsibly and at the best bang for our buck. The deputy leader is well off the mark. We have already commissioned this work. It has been given to a very, very appropriate consultant group — Mr R.H. Cook : Then how much will it cost? Dr G.G. JACOBS : It is at about half the figure that the Deputy Leader of the Opposition describes. The inference that in fact we are wasting taxpayers’ money and starving NGOs is blatantly wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Why is he freezing their funding? Dr G.G. JACOBS : What did the opposition do when they were in government about the plight of people with mental health? They did not do anything. Mental health for them did not even get on the radar. We have responsibly commissioned this work to do a WA strategy in mental health for 2010-2020. The figure the deputy leader describes is more than double the figure—not half a million dollars. I do not know where he is getting his information from. To imply that we are wasting taxpayers’ money and we are blowing it out on a consultancy spree is just scaremongering. We on this side of the house are going to responsibly address the plight of people with mental conditions in Western Australia.
Dr G.G. JACOBS replied: I thank the Deputy Leader of the Opposition for the question. (1)-(2) The premise of his question is totally untrue. This government, through me as Minister for Mental Health, has given an undertaking to perform a WA mental health strategy for 2010-2020. That work has been commissioned by a very, very appropriate body. Mr R.H. Cook : At a cost of? Dr G.G. JACOBS : Nowhere near the moneys that the deputy leader referred to. We have done this responsibly and at the best bang for our buck. The deputy leader is well off the mark. We have already commissioned this work. It has been given to a very, very appropriate consultant group — Mr R.H. Cook : Then how much will it cost? Dr G.G. JACOBS : It is at about half the figure that the Deputy Leader of the Opposition describes. The inference that in fact we are wasting taxpayers’ money and starving NGOs is blatantly wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Why is he freezing their funding? Dr G.G. JACOBS : What did the opposition do when they were in government about the plight of people with mental health? They did not do anything. Mental health for them did not even get on the radar. We have responsibly commissioned this work to do a WA strategy in mental health for 2010-2020. The figure the deputy leader describes is more than double the figure—not half a million dollars. I do not know where he is getting his information from. To imply that we are wasting taxpayers’ money and we are blowing it out on a consultancy spree is just scaremongering. We on this side of the house are going to responsibly address the plight of people with mental conditions in Western Australia.
I thank the Deputy Leader of the Opposition for the question. (1)-(2) The premise of his question is totally untrue. This government, through me as Minister for Mental Health, has given an undertaking to perform a WA mental health strategy for 2010-2020. That work has been commissioned by a very, very appropriate body. Mr R.H. Cook : At a cost of? Dr G.G. JACOBS : Nowhere near the moneys that the deputy leader referred to. We have done this responsibly and at the best bang for our buck. The deputy leader is well off the mark. We have already commissioned this work. It has been given to a very, very appropriate consultant group — Mr R.H. Cook : Then how much will it cost? Dr G.G. JACOBS : It is at about half the figure that the Deputy Leader of the Opposition describes. The inference that in fact we are wasting taxpayers’ money and starving NGOs is blatantly wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Why is he freezing their funding? Dr G.G. JACOBS : What did the opposition do when they were in government about the plight of people with mental health? They did not do anything. Mental health for them did not even get on the radar. We have responsibly commissioned this work to do a WA strategy in mental health for 2010-2020. The figure the deputy leader describes is more than double the figure—not half a million dollars. I do not know where he is getting his information from. To imply that we are wasting taxpayers’ money and we are blowing it out on a consultancy spree is just scaremongering. We on this side of the house are going to responsibly address the plight of people with mental conditions in Western Australia.
(1)-(2) The premise of his question is totally untrue. This government, through me as Minister for Mental Health, has given an undertaking to perform a WA mental health strategy for 2010-2020. That work has been commissioned by a very, very appropriate body. Mr R.H. Cook : At a cost of? Dr G.G. JACOBS : Nowhere near the moneys that the deputy leader referred to. We have done this responsibly and at the best bang for our buck. The deputy leader is well off the mark. We have already commissioned this work. It has been given to a very, very appropriate consultant group — Mr R.H. Cook : Then how much will it cost? Dr G.G. JACOBS : It is at about half the figure that the Deputy Leader of the Opposition describes. The inference that in fact we are wasting taxpayers’ money and starving NGOs is blatantly wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Why is he freezing their funding? Dr G.G. JACOBS : What did the opposition do when they were in government about the plight of people with mental health? They did not do anything. Mental health for them did not even get on the radar. We have responsibly commissioned this work to do a WA strategy in mental health for 2010-2020. The figure the deputy leader describes is more than double the figure—not half a million dollars. I do not know where he is getting his information from. To imply that we are wasting taxpayers’ money and we are blowing it out on a consultancy spree is just scaremongering. We on this side of the house are going to responsibly address the plight of people with mental conditions in Western Australia.
Mr R.H. Cook : At a cost of? Dr G.G. JACOBS : Nowhere near the moneys that the deputy leader referred to. We have done this responsibly and at the best bang for our buck. The deputy leader is well off the mark. We have already commissioned this work. It has been given to a very, very appropriate consultant group — Mr R.H. Cook : Then how much will it cost? Dr G.G. JACOBS : It is at about half the figure that the Deputy Leader of the Opposition describes. The inference that in fact we are wasting taxpayers’ money and starving NGOs is blatantly wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Why is he freezing their funding? Dr G.G. JACOBS : What did the opposition do when they were in government about the plight of people with mental health? They did not do anything. Mental health for them did not even get on the radar. We have responsibly commissioned this work to do a WA strategy in mental health for 2010-2020. The figure the deputy leader describes is more than double the figure—not half a million dollars. I do not know where he is getting his information from. To imply that we are wasting taxpayers’ money and we are blowing it out on a consultancy spree is just scaremongering. We on this side of the house are going to responsibly address the plight of people with mental conditions in Western Australia.
Dr G.G. JACOBS : Nowhere near the moneys that the deputy leader referred to. We have done this responsibly and at the best bang for our buck. The deputy leader is well off the mark. We have already commissioned this work. It has been given to a very, very appropriate consultant group — Mr R.H. Cook : Then how much will it cost? Dr G.G. JACOBS : It is at about half the figure that the Deputy Leader of the Opposition describes. The inference that in fact we are wasting taxpayers’ money and starving NGOs is blatantly wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Why is he freezing their funding? Dr G.G. JACOBS : What did the opposition do when they were in government about the plight of people with mental health? They did not do anything. Mental health for them did not even get on the radar. We have responsibly commissioned this work to do a WA strategy in mental health for 2010-2020. The figure the deputy leader describes is more than double the figure—not half a million dollars. I do not know where he is getting his information from. To imply that we are wasting taxpayers’ money and we are blowing it out on a consultancy spree is just scaremongering. We on this side of the house are going to responsibly address the plight of people with mental conditions in Western Australia.
Mr R.H. Cook : Then how much will it cost? Dr G.G. JACOBS : It is at about half the figure that the Deputy Leader of the Opposition describes. The inference that in fact we are wasting taxpayers’ money and starving NGOs is blatantly wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Why is he freezing their funding? Dr G.G. JACOBS : What did the opposition do when they were in government about the plight of people with mental health? They did not do anything. Mental health for them did not even get on the radar. We have responsibly commissioned this work to do a WA strategy in mental health for 2010-2020. The figure the deputy leader describes is more than double the figure—not half a million dollars. I do not know where he is getting his information from. To imply that we are wasting taxpayers’ money and we are blowing it out on a consultancy spree is just scaremongering. We on this side of the house are going to responsibly address the plight of people with mental conditions in Western Australia.
Dr G.G. JACOBS : It is at about half the figure that the Deputy Leader of the Opposition describes. The inference that in fact we are wasting taxpayers’ money and starving NGOs is blatantly wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Why is he freezing their funding? Dr G.G. JACOBS : What did the opposition do when they were in government about the plight of people with mental health? They did not do anything. Mental health for them did not even get on the radar. We have responsibly commissioned this work to do a WA strategy in mental health for 2010-2020. The figure the deputy leader describes is more than double the figure—not half a million dollars. I do not know where he is getting his information from. To imply that we are wasting taxpayers’ money and we are blowing it out on a consultancy spree is just scaremongering. We on this side of the house are going to responsibly address the plight of people with mental conditions in Western Australia.
Mr E.S. Ripper : Why is he freezing their funding? Dr G.G. JACOBS : What did the opposition do when they were in government about the plight of people with mental health? They did not do anything. Mental health for them did not even get on the radar. We have responsibly commissioned this work to do a WA strategy in mental health for 2010-2020. The figure the deputy leader describes is more than double the figure—not half a million dollars. I do not know where he is getting his information from. To imply that we are wasting taxpayers’ money and we are blowing it out on a consultancy spree is just scaremongering. We on this side of the house are going to responsibly address the plight of people with mental conditions in Western Australia.
Dr G.G. JACOBS : What did the opposition do when they were in government about the plight of people with mental health? They did not do anything. Mental health for them did not even get on the radar. We have responsibly commissioned this work to do a WA strategy in mental health for 2010-2020. The figure the deputy leader describes is more than double the figure—not half a million dollars. I do not know where he is getting his information from. To imply that we are wasting taxpayers’ money and we are blowing it out on a consultancy spree is just scaremongering. We on this side of the house are going to responsibly address the plight of people with mental conditions in Western Australia.
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