❓ A parliamentary question regarding cuts to community-based mental health services in WA, in light of a government report highlighting the need for increased community support. The Minister defends the cuts, focusing on the specific case of Derbarl Yerrigan and broader budgetary constraints.
AnsweredQoN 1152Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer the minister to “The Way Forward”, the government-commissioned report on the review of the Mental Health Act, which was released yesterday, and to the statement in the report that the attention of the review was repeatedly directed to the low level of provision of community-based services for people with mental disorders in the State and the adverse consequences of this poor level of provision with the trend towards shorter in-patient stays. (1) How does the minister reconcile this statement with his decision to arbitrarily cut at least $2 million from community-based mental health prevention and support services? (2) Given that the Government chose eminent academic Professor D’Arcy Holman to review mental health services, and given the advice of Professor Holman in that report, will the minister now review his decision to cut those mental health services? Mr J.A. McGINTY
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(2) The only non-government organisation that provided clinical services to the mentally unwell and that had its funding cut as a result of the changes announced a month ago was Derbarl Yerrigan. Derbarl Yerrigan was the only non-government organisation whose funds were cut that provided direct services to mental health patients. Mr M.F. Board: That is not true. Mr J.A. McGINTY: It is absolutely true. We all know, and I think members opposite appreciate as well, the significant difficulties that Derbarl Yerrigan faces. Mr M.F. Board: We are talking about prevention programs. Mr J.A. McGINTY: I notice that the Leader of the Opposition said that he would reinstate all the cuts that were made to the mental health area. I would be surprised if he reinstated the cut that was made to Derbarl Yerrigan, because that would be inconsistent with the view that he has previously put in this place. Derbarl Yerrigan was the only non-government organisation that provided nursing and clinical care for the mentally unwell. That needs to be said to put the matter in context, because the other services that were cut did not provide care or clinical services to the mentally unwell in this State. Mr M.F. Board: They are prevention programs. Mr J.A. McGINTY: No, they are not, because they are not directed at service delivery specifically for the mentally unwell, although they may well be indirectly connected around the back way in terms of capacity building and those sorts of things. Several members interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY: I gave the Leader of the Opposition the opportunity to comment a minute ago when I said that notwithstanding his public statement that he would restore the mental health cuts, we all know that he will not restore the cut to Derbarl Yerrigan. Mr J.H.D. Day: We will make sure the funding is there for mental health. Mr J.A. McGINTY: That is a different proposition. The Leader of the Opposition said publicly that he would restore the cuts. We all know damned well that Derbarl Yerrigan is the one service that provides direct patient care in the mental health area that the member’s side of politics is not in favour of funding, and that it would cut the funding to that service. I agree with the observations that have been made by Professor D’Arcy Holman. I have met with him about the review of the Mental Health Act and the Criminal Law (Mentally Impaired Defendants) Act. I think everyone in this House would be wholeheartedly in agreement with the thrust of what he has said in his report. We all know the problems that exist in all these areas of health expenditure; members opposite know them as well as we do. We have had a reduction in federal funding. The federal Government has taken $110 million out of our funding for public hospitals over the next five years. It is intensely tight. The SPEAKER: Order! I call the member for Nedlands to order for the first time. Mr J.A. McGINTY: We had a critically tight state budget in any event, even before the federal cuts came into play. Demand is also dramatically increasing. Any responsible manager in this context would look at achieving a very simple thing; that is, reorientating the money that is spent in health care, regardless of whether it is spent in teaching hospitals, community based organisations in mental health or wherever, towards those core areas of activity to ensure we have a public hospital and health system in this State that we know will be there in our hour of need, and one of which we can all be proud. That is the process the Government is undertaking. It must ensure that the public hospital system stops lurching from crisis to crisis, which it has done for a long time, financially and otherwise; it must ensure that it is available, and that the public has confidence that it will deliver in its hour of need to ordinary Western Australian citizens. That will take some reorientation of funding. We have taken funding from non-core areas where funding is not essential and made sure it will be available in the essential areas of health care. It is that simple. Of course, the opportunity will always be available for people to try to extract a little short-term political advantage, but I think anyone with a commitment to and long-term interest in our state health system would do the same thing.
(1) How does the minister reconcile this statement with his decision to arbitrarily cut at least $2 million from community-based mental health prevention and support services? (2) Given that the Government chose eminent academic Professor D’Arcy Holman to review mental health services, and given the advice of Professor Holman in that report, will the minister now review his decision to cut those mental health services? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(2) The only non-government organisation that provided clinical services to the mentally unwell and that had its funding cut as a result of the changes announced a month ago was Derbarl Yerrigan. Derbarl Yerrigan was the only non-government organisation whose funds were cut that provided direct services to mental health patients. Mr M.F. Board: That is not true. Mr J.A. McGINTY: It is absolutely true. We all know, and I think members opposite appreciate as well, the significant difficulties that Derbarl Yerrigan faces. Mr M.F. Board: We are talking about prevention programs. Mr J.A. McGINTY: I notice that the Leader of the Opposition said that he would reinstate all the cuts that were made to the mental health area. I would be surprised if he reinstated the cut that was made to Derbarl Yerrigan, because that would be inconsistent with the view that he has previously put in this place. Derbarl Yerrigan was the only non-government organisation that provided nursing and clinical care for the mentally unwell. That needs to be said to put the matter in context, because the other services that were cut did not provide care or clinical services to the mentally unwell in this State. Mr M.F. Board: They are prevention programs. Mr J.A. McGINTY: No, they are not, because they are not directed at service delivery specifically for the mentally unwell, although they may well be indirectly connected around the back way in terms of capacity building and those sorts of things. Several members interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY: I gave the Leader of the Opposition the opportunity to comment a minute ago when I said that notwithstanding his public statement that he would restore the mental health cuts, we all know that he will not restore the cut to Derbarl Yerrigan. Mr J.H.D. Day: We will make sure the funding is there for mental health. Mr J.A. McGINTY: That is a different proposition. The Leader of the Opposition said publicly that he would restore the cuts. We all know damned well that Derbarl Yerrigan is the one service that provides direct patient care in the mental health area that the member’s side of politics is not in favour of funding, and that it would cut the funding to that service. I agree with the observations that have been made by Professor D’Arcy Holman. I have met with him about the review of the Mental Health Act and the Criminal Law (Mentally Impaired Defendants) Act. I think everyone in this House would be wholeheartedly in agreement with the thrust of what he has said in his report. We all know the problems that exist in all these areas of health expenditure; members opposite know them as well as we do. We have had a reduction in federal funding. The federal Government has taken $110 million out of our funding for public hospitals over the next five years. It is intensely tight. The SPEAKER: Order! I call the member for Nedlands to order for the first time. Mr J.A. McGINTY: We had a critically tight state budget in any event, even before the federal cuts came into play. Demand is also dramatically increasing. Any responsible manager in this context would look at achieving a very simple thing; that is, reorientating the money that is spent in health care, regardless of whether it is spent in teaching hospitals, community based organisations in mental health or wherever, towards those core areas of activity to ensure we have a public hospital and health system in this State that we know will be there in our hour of need, and one of which we can all be proud. That is the process the Government is undertaking. It must ensure that the public hospital system stops lurching from crisis to crisis, which it has done for a long time, financially and otherwise; it must ensure that it is available, and that the public has confidence that it will deliver in its hour of need to ordinary Western Australian citizens. That will take some reorientation of funding. We have taken funding from non-core areas where funding is not essential and made sure it will be available in the essential areas of health care. It is that simple. Of course, the opportunity will always be available for people to try to extract a little short-term political advantage, but I think anyone with a commitment to and long-term interest in our state health system would do the same thing.
(2) Given that the Government chose eminent academic Professor D’Arcy Holman to review mental health services, and given the advice of Professor Holman in that report, will the minister now review his decision to cut those mental health services? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(2) The only non-government organisation that provided clinical services to the mentally unwell and that had its funding cut as a result of the changes announced a month ago was Derbarl Yerrigan. Derbarl Yerrigan was the only non-government organisation whose funds were cut that provided direct services to mental health patients. Mr M.F. Board: That is not true. Mr J.A. McGINTY: It is absolutely true. We all know, and I think members opposite appreciate as well, the significant difficulties that Derbarl Yerrigan faces. Mr M.F. Board: We are talking about prevention programs. Mr J.A. McGINTY: I notice that the Leader of the Opposition said that he would reinstate all the cuts that were made to the mental health area. I would be surprised if he reinstated the cut that was made to Derbarl Yerrigan, because that would be inconsistent with the view that he has previously put in this place. Derbarl Yerrigan was the only non-government organisation that provided nursing and clinical care for the mentally unwell. That needs to be said to put the matter in context, because the other services that were cut did not provide care or clinical services to the mentally unwell in this State. Mr M.F. Board: They are prevention programs. Mr J.A. McGINTY: No, they are not, because they are not directed at service delivery specifically for the mentally unwell, although they may well be indirectly connected around the back way in terms of capacity building and those sorts of things. Several members interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY: I gave the Leader of the Opposition the opportunity to comment a minute ago when I said that notwithstanding his public statement that he would restore the mental health cuts, we all know that he will not restore the cut to Derbarl Yerrigan. Mr J.H.D. Day: We will make sure the funding is there for mental health. Mr J.A. McGINTY: That is a different proposition. The Leader of the Opposition said publicly that he would restore the cuts. We all know damned well that Derbarl Yerrigan is the one service that provides direct patient care in the mental health area that the member’s side of politics is not in favour of funding, and that it would cut the funding to that service. I agree with the observations that have been made by Professor D’Arcy Holman. I have met with him about the review of the Mental Health Act and the Criminal Law (Mentally Impaired Defendants) Act. I think everyone in this House would be wholeheartedly in agreement with the thrust of what he has said in his report. We all know the problems that exist in all these areas of health expenditure; members opposite know them as well as we do. We have had a reduction in federal funding. The federal Government has taken $110 million out of our funding for public hospitals over the next five years. It is intensely tight. The SPEAKER: Order! I call the member for Nedlands to order for the first time. Mr J.A. McGINTY: We had a critically tight state budget in any event, even before the federal cuts came into play. Demand is also dramatically increasing. Any responsible manager in this context would look at achieving a very simple thing; that is, reorientating the money that is spent in health care, regardless of whether it is spent in teaching hospitals, community based organisations in mental health or wherever, towards those core areas of activity to ensure we have a public hospital and health system in this State that we know will be there in our hour of need, and one of which we can all be proud. That is the process the Government is undertaking. It must ensure that the public hospital system stops lurching from crisis to crisis, which it has done for a long time, financially and otherwise; it must ensure that it is available, and that the public has confidence that it will deliver in its hour of need to ordinary Western Australian citizens. That will take some reorientation of funding. We have taken funding from non-core areas where funding is not essential and made sure it will be available in the essential areas of health care. It is that simple. Of course, the opportunity will always be available for people to try to extract a little short-term political advantage, but I think anyone with a commitment to and long-term interest in our state health system would do the same thing.
Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(2) The only non-government organisation that provided clinical services to the mentally unwell and that had its funding cut as a result of the changes announced a month ago was Derbarl Yerrigan. Derbarl Yerrigan was the only non-government organisation whose funds were cut that provided direct services to mental health patients. Mr M.F. Board: That is not true. Mr J.A. McGINTY: It is absolutely true. We all know, and I think members opposite appreciate as well, the significant difficulties that Derbarl Yerrigan faces. Mr M.F. Board: We are talking about prevention programs. Mr J.A. McGINTY: I notice that the Leader of the Opposition said that he would reinstate all the cuts that were made to the mental health area. I would be surprised if he reinstated the cut that was made to Derbarl Yerrigan, because that would be inconsistent with the view that he has previously put in this place. Derbarl Yerrigan was the only non-government organisation that provided nursing and clinical care for the mentally unwell. That needs to be said to put the matter in context, because the other services that were cut did not provide care or clinical services to the mentally unwell in this State. Mr M.F. Board: They are prevention programs. Mr J.A. McGINTY: No, they are not, because they are not directed at service delivery specifically for the mentally unwell, although they may well be indirectly connected around the back way in terms of capacity building and those sorts of things. Several members interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY: I gave the Leader of the Opposition the opportunity to comment a minute ago when I said that notwithstanding his public statement that he would restore the mental health cuts, we all know that he will not restore the cut to Derbarl Yerrigan. Mr J.H.D. Day: We will make sure the funding is there for mental health. Mr J.A. McGINTY: That is a different proposition. The Leader of the Opposition said publicly that he would restore the cuts. We all know damned well that Derbarl Yerrigan is the one service that provides direct patient care in the mental health area that the member’s side of politics is not in favour of funding, and that it would cut the funding to that service. I agree with the observations that have been made by Professor D’Arcy Holman. I have met with him about the review of the Mental Health Act and the Criminal Law (Mentally Impaired Defendants) Act. I think everyone in this House would be wholeheartedly in agreement with the thrust of what he has said in his report. We all know the problems that exist in all these areas of health expenditure; members opposite know them as well as we do. We have had a reduction in federal funding. The federal Government has taken $110 million out of our funding for public hospitals over the next five years. It is intensely tight. The SPEAKER: Order! I call the member for Nedlands to order for the first time. Mr J.A. McGINTY: We had a critically tight state budget in any event, even before the federal cuts came into play. Demand is also dramatically increasing. Any responsible manager in this context would look at achieving a very simple thing; that is, reorientating the money that is spent in health care, regardless of whether it is spent in teaching hospitals, community based organisations in mental health or wherever, towards those core areas of activity to ensure we have a public hospital and health system in this State that we know will be there in our hour of need, and one of which we can all be proud. That is the process the Government is undertaking. It must ensure that the public hospital system stops lurching from crisis to crisis, which it has done for a long time, financially and otherwise; it must ensure that it is available, and that the public has confidence that it will deliver in its hour of need to ordinary Western Australian citizens. That will take some reorientation of funding. We have taken funding from non-core areas where funding is not essential and made sure it will be available in the essential areas of health care. It is that simple. Of course, the opportunity will always be available for people to try to extract a little short-term political advantage, but I think anyone with a commitment to and long-term interest in our state health system would do the same thing.
(1)-(2) The only non-government organisation that provided clinical services to the mentally unwell and that had its funding cut as a result of the changes announced a month ago was Derbarl Yerrigan. Derbarl Yerrigan was the only non-government organisation whose funds were cut that provided direct services to mental health patients. Mr M.F. Board: That is not true. Mr J.A. McGINTY: It is absolutely true. We all know, and I think members opposite appreciate as well, the significant difficulties that Derbarl Yerrigan faces. Mr M.F. Board: We are talking about prevention programs. Mr J.A. McGINTY: I notice that the Leader of the Opposition said that he would reinstate all the cuts that were made to the mental health area. I would be surprised if he reinstated the cut that was made to Derbarl Yerrigan, because that would be inconsistent with the view that he has previously put in this place. Derbarl Yerrigan was the only non-government organisation that provided nursing and clinical care for the mentally unwell. That needs to be said to put the matter in context, because the other services that were cut did not provide care or clinical services to the mentally unwell in this State. Mr M.F. Board: They are prevention programs. Mr J.A. McGINTY: No, they are not, because they are not directed at service delivery specifically for the mentally unwell, although they may well be indirectly connected around the back way in terms of capacity building and those sorts of things. Several members interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY: I gave the Leader of the Opposition the opportunity to comment a minute ago when I said that notwithstanding his public statement that he would restore the mental health cuts, we all know that he will not restore the cut to Derbarl Yerrigan. Mr J.H.D. Day: We will make sure the funding is there for mental health. Mr J.A. McGINTY: That is a different proposition. The Leader of the Opposition said publicly that he would restore the cuts. We all know damned well that Derbarl Yerrigan is the one service that provides direct patient care in the mental health area that the member’s side of politics is not in favour of funding, and that it would cut the funding to that service. I agree with the observations that have been made by Professor D’Arcy Holman. I have met with him about the review of the Mental Health Act and the Criminal Law (Mentally Impaired Defendants) Act. I think everyone in this House would be wholeheartedly in agreement with the thrust of what he has said in his report. We all know the problems that exist in all these areas of health expenditure; members opposite know them as well as we do. We have had a reduction in federal funding. The federal Government has taken $110 million out of our funding for public hospitals over the next five years. It is intensely tight. The SPEAKER: Order! I call the member for Nedlands to order for the first time. Mr J.A. McGINTY: We had a critically tight state budget in any event, even before the federal cuts came into play. Demand is also dramatically increasing. Any responsible manager in this context would look at achieving a very simple thing; that is, reorientating the money that is spent in health care, regardless of whether it is spent in teaching hospitals, community based organisations in mental health or wherever, towards those core areas of activity to ensure we have a public hospital and health system in this State that we know will be there in our hour of need, and one of which we can all be proud. That is the process the Government is undertaking. It must ensure that the public hospital system stops lurching from crisis to crisis, which it has done for a long time, financially and otherwise; it must ensure that it is available, and that the public has confidence that it will deliver in its hour of need to ordinary Western Australian citizens. That will take some reorientation of funding. We have taken funding from non-core areas where funding is not essential and made sure it will be available in the essential areas of health care. It is that simple. Of course, the opportunity will always be available for people to try to extract a little short-term political advantage, but I think anyone with a commitment to and long-term interest in our state health system would do the same thing.
Mr M.F. Board: That is not true. Mr J.A. McGINTY: It is absolutely true. We all know, and I think members opposite appreciate as well, the significant difficulties that Derbarl Yerrigan faces. Mr M.F. Board: We are talking about prevention programs. Mr J.A. McGINTY: I notice that the Leader of the Opposition said that he would reinstate all the cuts that were made to the mental health area. I would be surprised if he reinstated the cut that was made to Derbarl Yerrigan, because that would be inconsistent with the view that he has previously put in this place. Derbarl Yerrigan was the only non-government organisation that provided nursing and clinical care for the mentally unwell. That needs to be said to put the matter in context, because the other services that were cut did not provide care or clinical services to the mentally unwell in this State. Mr M.F. Board: They are prevention programs. Mr J.A. McGINTY: No, they are not, because they are not directed at service delivery specifically for the mentally unwell, although they may well be indirectly connected around the back way in terms of capacity building and those sorts of things. Several members interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY: I gave the Leader of the Opposition the opportunity to comment a minute ago when I said that notwithstanding his public statement that he would restore the mental health cuts, we all know that he will not restore the cut to Derbarl Yerrigan. Mr J.H.D. Day: We will make sure the funding is there for mental health. Mr J.A. McGINTY: That is a different proposition. The Leader of the Opposition said publicly that he would restore the cuts. We all know damned well that Derbarl Yerrigan is the one service that provides direct patient care in the mental health area that the member’s side of politics is not in favour of funding, and that it would cut the funding to that service. I agree with the observations that have been made by Professor D’Arcy Holman. I have met with him about the review of the Mental Health Act and the Criminal Law (Mentally Impaired Defendants) Act. I think everyone in this House would be wholeheartedly in agreement with the thrust of what he has said in his report. We all know the problems that exist in all these areas of health expenditure; members opposite know them as well as we do. We have had a reduction in federal funding. The federal Government has taken $110 million out of our funding for public hospitals over the next five years. It is intensely tight. The SPEAKER: Order! I call the member for Nedlands to order for the first time. Mr J.A. McGINTY: We had a critically tight state budget in any event, even before the federal cuts came into play. Demand is also dramatically increasing. Any responsible manager in this context would look at achieving a very simple thing; that is, reorientating the money that is spent in health care, regardless of whether it is spent in teaching hospitals, community based organisations in mental health or wherever, towards those core areas of activity to ensure we have a public hospital and health system in this State that we know will be there in our hour of need, and one of which we can all be proud. That is the process the Government is undertaking. It must ensure that the public hospital system stops lurching from crisis to crisis, which it has done for a long time, financially and otherwise; it must ensure that it is available, and that the public has confidence that it will deliver in its hour of need to ordinary Western Australian citizens. That will take some reorientation of funding. We have taken funding from non-core areas where funding is not essential and made sure it will be available in the essential areas of health care. It is that simple. Of course, the opportunity will always be available for people to try to extract a little short-term political advantage, but I think anyone with a commitment to and long-term interest in our state health system would do the same thing.
Mr J.A. McGINTY: It is absolutely true. We all know, and I think members opposite appreciate as well, the significant difficulties that Derbarl Yerrigan faces. Mr M.F. Board: We are talking about prevention programs. Mr J.A. McGINTY: I notice that the Leader of the Opposition said that he would reinstate all the cuts that were made to the mental health area. I would be surprised if he reinstated the cut that was made to Derbarl Yerrigan, because that would be inconsistent with the view that he has previously put in this place. Derbarl Yerrigan was the only non-government organisation that provided nursing and clinical care for the mentally unwell. That needs to be said to put the matter in context, because the other services that were cut did not provide care or clinical services to the mentally unwell in this State. Mr M.F. Board: They are prevention programs. Mr J.A. McGINTY: No, they are not, because they are not directed at service delivery specifically for the mentally unwell, although they may well be indirectly connected around the back way in terms of capacity building and those sorts of things. Several members interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY: I gave the Leader of the Opposition the opportunity to comment a minute ago when I said that notwithstanding his public statement that he would restore the mental health cuts, we all know that he will not restore the cut to Derbarl Yerrigan. Mr J.H.D. Day: We will make sure the funding is there for mental health. Mr J.A. McGINTY: That is a different proposition. The Leader of the Opposition said publicly that he would restore the cuts. We all know damned well that Derbarl Yerrigan is the one service that provides direct patient care in the mental health area that the member’s side of politics is not in favour of funding, and that it would cut the funding to that service. I agree with the observations that have been made by Professor D’Arcy Holman. I have met with him about the review of the Mental Health Act and the Criminal Law (Mentally Impaired Defendants) Act. I think everyone in this House would be wholeheartedly in agreement with the thrust of what he has said in his report. We all know the problems that exist in all these areas of health expenditure; members opposite know them as well as we do. We have had a reduction in federal funding. The federal Government has taken $110 million out of our funding for public hospitals over the next five years. It is intensely tight. The SPEAKER: Order! I call the member for Nedlands to order for the first time. Mr J.A. McGINTY: We had a critically tight state budget in any event, even before the federal cuts came into play. Demand is also dramatically increasing. Any responsible manager in this context would look at achieving a very simple thing; that is, reorientating the money that is spent in health care, regardless of whether it is spent in teaching hospitals, community based organisations in mental health or wherever, towards those core areas of activity to ensure we have a public hospital and health system in this State that we know will be there in our hour of need, and one of which we can all be proud. That is the process the Government is undertaking. It must ensure that the public hospital system stops lurching from crisis to crisis, which it has done for a long time, financially and otherwise; it must ensure that it is available, and that the public has confidence that it will deliver in its hour of need to ordinary Western Australian citizens. That will take some reorientation of funding. We have taken funding from non-core areas where funding is not essential and made sure it will be available in the essential areas of health care. It is that simple. Of course, the opportunity will always be available for people to try to extract a little short-term political advantage, but I think anyone with a commitment to and long-term interest in our state health system would do the same thing.
Mr M.F. Board: We are talking about prevention programs. Mr J.A. McGINTY: I notice that the Leader of the Opposition said that he would reinstate all the cuts that were made to the mental health area. I would be surprised if he reinstated the cut that was made to Derbarl Yerrigan, because that would be inconsistent with the view that he has previously put in this place. Derbarl Yerrigan was the only non-government organisation that provided nursing and clinical care for the mentally unwell. That needs to be said to put the matter in context, because the other services that were cut did not provide care or clinical services to the mentally unwell in this State. Mr M.F. Board: They are prevention programs. Mr J.A. McGINTY: No, they are not, because they are not directed at service delivery specifically for the mentally unwell, although they may well be indirectly connected around the back way in terms of capacity building and those sorts of things. Several members interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY: I gave the Leader of the Opposition the opportunity to comment a minute ago when I said that notwithstanding his public statement that he would restore the mental health cuts, we all know that he will not restore the cut to Derbarl Yerrigan. Mr J.H.D. Day: We will make sure the funding is there for mental health. Mr J.A. McGINTY: That is a different proposition. The Leader of the Opposition said publicly that he would restore the cuts. We all know damned well that Derbarl Yerrigan is the one service that provides direct patient care in the mental health area that the member’s side of politics is not in favour of funding, and that it would cut the funding to that service. I agree with the observations that have been made by Professor D’Arcy Holman. I have met with him about the review of the Mental Health Act and the Criminal Law (Mentally Impaired Defendants) Act. I think everyone in this House would be wholeheartedly in agreement with the thrust of what he has said in his report. We all know the problems that exist in all these areas of health expenditure; members opposite know them as well as we do. We have had a reduction in federal funding. The federal Government has taken $110 million out of our funding for public hospitals over the next five years. It is intensely tight. The SPEAKER: Order! I call the member for Nedlands to order for the first time. Mr J.A. McGINTY: We had a critically tight state budget in any event, even before the federal cuts came into play. Demand is also dramatically increasing. Any responsible manager in this context would look at achieving a very simple thing; that is, reorientating the money that is spent in health care, regardless of whether it is spent in teaching hospitals, community based organisations in mental health or wherever, towards those core areas of activity to ensure we have a public hospital and health system in this State that we know will be there in our hour of need, and one of which we can all be proud. That is the process the Government is undertaking. It must ensure that the public hospital system stops lurching from crisis to crisis, which it has done for a long time, financially and otherwise; it must ensure that it is available, and that the public has confidence that it will deliver in its hour of need to ordinary Western Australian citizens. That will take some reorientation of funding. We have taken funding from non-core areas where funding is not essential and made sure it will be available in the essential areas of health care. It is that simple. Of course, the opportunity will always be available for people to try to extract a little short-term political advantage, but I think anyone with a commitment to and long-term interest in our state health system would do the same thing.
Mr J.A. McGINTY: I notice that the Leader of the Opposition said that he would reinstate all the cuts that were made to the mental health area. I would be surprised if he reinstated the cut that was made to Derbarl Yerrigan, because that would be inconsistent with the view that he has previously put in this place. Derbarl Yerrigan was the only non-government organisation that provided nursing and clinical care for the mentally unwell. That needs to be said to put the matter in context, because the other services that were cut did not provide care or clinical services to the mentally unwell in this State. Mr M.F. Board: They are prevention programs. Mr J.A. McGINTY: No, they are not, because they are not directed at service delivery specifically for the mentally unwell, although they may well be indirectly connected around the back way in terms of capacity building and those sorts of things. Several members interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY: I gave the Leader of the Opposition the opportunity to comment a minute ago when I said that notwithstanding his public statement that he would restore the mental health cuts, we all know that he will not restore the cut to Derbarl Yerrigan. Mr J.H.D. Day: We will make sure the funding is there for mental health. Mr J.A. McGINTY: That is a different proposition. The Leader of the Opposition said publicly that he would restore the cuts. We all know damned well that Derbarl Yerrigan is the one service that provides direct patient care in the mental health area that the member’s side of politics is not in favour of funding, and that it would cut the funding to that service. I agree with the observations that have been made by Professor D’Arcy Holman. I have met with him about the review of the Mental Health Act and the Criminal Law (Mentally Impaired Defendants) Act. I think everyone in this House would be wholeheartedly in agreement with the thrust of what he has said in his report. We all know the problems that exist in all these areas of health expenditure; members opposite know them as well as we do. We have had a reduction in federal funding. The federal Government has taken $110 million out of our funding for public hospitals over the next five years. It is intensely tight. The SPEAKER: Order! I call the member for Nedlands to order for the first time. Mr J.A. McGINTY: We had a critically tight state budget in any event, even before the federal cuts came into play. Demand is also dramatically increasing. Any responsible manager in this context would look at achieving a very simple thing; that is, reorientating the money that is spent in health care, regardless of whether it is spent in teaching hospitals, community based organisations in mental health or wherever, towards those core areas of activity to ensure we have a public hospital and health system in this State that we know will be there in our hour of need, and one of which we can all be proud. That is the process the Government is undertaking. It must ensure that the public hospital system stops lurching from crisis to crisis, which it has done for a long time, financially and otherwise; it must ensure that it is available, and that the public has confidence that it will deliver in its hour of need to ordinary Western Australian citizens. That will take some reorientation of funding. We have taken funding from non-core areas where funding is not essential and made sure it will be available in the essential areas of health care. It is that simple. Of course, the opportunity will always be available for people to try to extract a little short-term political advantage, but I think anyone with a commitment to and long-term interest in our state health system would do the same thing.
Mr M.F. Board: They are prevention programs. Mr J.A. McGINTY: No, they are not, because they are not directed at service delivery specifically for the mentally unwell, although they may well be indirectly connected around the back way in terms of capacity building and those sorts of things. Several members interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY: I gave the Leader of the Opposition the opportunity to comment a minute ago when I said that notwithstanding his public statement that he would restore the mental health cuts, we all know that he will not restore the cut to Derbarl Yerrigan. Mr J.H.D. Day: We will make sure the funding is there for mental health. Mr J.A. McGINTY: That is a different proposition. The Leader of the Opposition said publicly that he would restore the cuts. We all know damned well that Derbarl Yerrigan is the one service that provides direct patient care in the mental health area that the member’s side of politics is not in favour of funding, and that it would cut the funding to that service. I agree with the observations that have been made by Professor D’Arcy Holman. I have met with him about the review of the Mental Health Act and the Criminal Law (Mentally Impaired Defendants) Act. I think everyone in this House would be wholeheartedly in agreement with the thrust of what he has said in his report. We all know the problems that exist in all these areas of health expenditure; members opposite know them as well as we do. We have had a reduction in federal funding. The federal Government has taken $110 million out of our funding for public hospitals over the next five years. It is intensely tight. The SPEAKER: Order! I call the member for Nedlands to order for the first time. Mr J.A. McGINTY: We had a critically tight state budget in any event, even before the federal cuts came into play. Demand is also dramatically increasing. Any responsible manager in this context would look at achieving a very simple thing; that is, reorientating the money that is spent in health care, regardless of whether it is spent in teaching hospitals, community based organisations in mental health or wherever, towards those core areas of activity to ensure we have a public hospital and health system in this State that we know will be there in our hour of need, and one of which we can all be proud. That is the process the Government is undertaking. It must ensure that the public hospital system stops lurching from crisis to crisis, which it has done for a long time, financially and otherwise; it must ensure that it is available, and that the public has confidence that it will deliver in its hour of need to ordinary Western Australian citizens. That will take some reorientation of funding. We have taken funding from non-core areas where funding is not essential and made sure it will be available in the essential areas of health care. It is that simple. Of course, the opportunity will always be available for people to try to extract a little short-term political advantage, but I think anyone with a commitment to and long-term interest in our state health system would do the same thing.
Mr J.A. McGINTY: No, they are not, because they are not directed at service delivery specifically for the mentally unwell, although they may well be indirectly connected around the back way in terms of capacity building and those sorts of things. Several members interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY: I gave the Leader of the Opposition the opportunity to comment a minute ago when I said that notwithstanding his public statement that he would restore the mental health cuts, we all know that he will not restore the cut to Derbarl Yerrigan. Mr J.H.D. Day: We will make sure the funding is there for mental health. Mr J.A. McGINTY: That is a different proposition. The Leader of the Opposition said publicly that he would restore the cuts. We all know damned well that Derbarl Yerrigan is the one service that provides direct patient care in the mental health area that the member’s side of politics is not in favour of funding, and that it would cut the funding to that service. I agree with the observations that have been made by Professor D’Arcy Holman. I have met with him about the review of the Mental Health Act and the Criminal Law (Mentally Impaired Defendants) Act. I think everyone in this House would be wholeheartedly in agreement with the thrust of what he has said in his report. We all know the problems that exist in all these areas of health expenditure; members opposite know them as well as we do. We have had a reduction in federal funding. The federal Government has taken $110 million out of our funding for public hospitals over the next five years. It is intensely tight. The SPEAKER: Order! I call the member for Nedlands to order for the first time. Mr J.A. McGINTY: We had a critically tight state budget in any event, even before the federal cuts came into play. Demand is also dramatically increasing. Any responsible manager in this context would look at achieving a very simple thing; that is, reorientating the money that is spent in health care, regardless of whether it is spent in teaching hospitals, community based organisations in mental health or wherever, towards those core areas of activity to ensure we have a public hospital and health system in this State that we know will be there in our hour of need, and one of which we can all be proud. That is the process the Government is undertaking. It must ensure that the public hospital system stops lurching from crisis to crisis, which it has done for a long time, financially and otherwise; it must ensure that it is available, and that the public has confidence that it will deliver in its hour of need to ordinary Western Australian citizens. That will take some reorientation of funding. We have taken funding from non-core areas where funding is not essential and made sure it will be available in the essential areas of health care. It is that simple. Of course, the opportunity will always be available for people to try to extract a little short-term political advantage, but I think anyone with a commitment to and long-term interest in our state health system would do the same thing.
Several members interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY: I gave the Leader of the Opposition the opportunity to comment a minute ago when I said that notwithstanding his public statement that he would restore the mental health cuts, we all know that he will not restore the cut to Derbarl Yerrigan. Mr J.H.D. Day: We will make sure the funding is there for mental health. Mr J.A. McGINTY: That is a different proposition. The Leader of the Opposition said publicly that he would restore the cuts. We all know damned well that Derbarl Yerrigan is the one service that provides direct patient care in the mental health area that the member’s side of politics is not in favour of funding, and that it would cut the funding to that service. I agree with the observations that have been made by Professor D’Arcy Holman. I have met with him about the review of the Mental Health Act and the Criminal Law (Mentally Impaired Defendants) Act. I think everyone in this House would be wholeheartedly in agreement with the thrust of what he has said in his report. We all know the problems that exist in all these areas of health expenditure; members opposite know them as well as we do. We have had a reduction in federal funding. The federal Government has taken $110 million out of our funding for public hospitals over the next five years. It is intensely tight. The SPEAKER: Order! I call the member for Nedlands to order for the first time. Mr J.A. McGINTY: We had a critically tight state budget in any event, even before the federal cuts came into play. Demand is also dramatically increasing. Any responsible manager in this context would look at achieving a very simple thing; that is, reorientating the money that is spent in health care, regardless of whether it is spent in teaching hospitals, community based organisations in mental health or wherever, towards those core areas of activity to ensure we have a public hospital and health system in this State that we know will be there in our hour of need, and one of which we can all be proud. That is the process the Government is undertaking. It must ensure that the public hospital system stops lurching from crisis to crisis, which it has done for a long time, financially and otherwise; it must ensure that it is available, and that the public has confidence that it will deliver in its hour of need to ordinary Western Australian citizens. That will take some reorientation of funding. We have taken funding from non-core areas where funding is not essential and made sure it will be available in the essential areas of health care. It is that simple. Of course, the opportunity will always be available for people to try to extract a little short-term political advantage, but I think anyone with a commitment to and long-term interest in our state health system would do the same thing.
Mr J.A. McGINTY: I gave the Leader of the Opposition the opportunity to comment a minute ago when I said that notwithstanding his public statement that he would restore the mental health cuts, we all know that he will not restore the cut to Derbarl Yerrigan. Mr J.H.D. Day: We will make sure the funding is there for mental health. Mr J.A. McGINTY: That is a different proposition. The Leader of the Opposition said publicly that he would restore the cuts. We all know damned well that Derbarl Yerrigan is the one service that provides direct patient care in the mental health area that the member’s side of politics is not in favour of funding, and that it would cut the funding to that service. I agree with the observations that have been made by Professor D’Arcy Holman. I have met with him about the review of the Mental Health Act and the Criminal Law (Mentally Impaired Defendants) Act. I think everyone in this House would be wholeheartedly in agreement with the thrust of what he has said in his report. We all know the problems that exist in all these areas of health expenditure; members opposite know them as well as we do. We have had a reduction in federal funding. The federal Government has taken $110 million out of our funding for public hospitals over the next five years. It is intensely tight. The SPEAKER: Order! I call the member for Nedlands to order for the first time. Mr J.A. McGINTY: We had a critically tight state budget in any event, even before the federal cuts came into play. Demand is also dramatically increasing. Any responsible manager in this context would look at achieving a very simple thing; that is, reorientating the money that is spent in health care, regardless of whether it is spent in teaching hospitals, community based organisations in mental health or wherever, towards those core areas of activity to ensure we have a public hospital and health system in this State that we know will be there in our hour of need, and one of which we can all be proud. That is the process the Government is undertaking. It must ensure that the public hospital system stops lurching from crisis to crisis, which it has done for a long time, financially and otherwise; it must ensure that it is available, and that the public has confidence that it will deliver in its hour of need to ordinary Western Australian citizens. That will take some reorientation of funding. We have taken funding from non-core areas where funding is not essential and made sure it will be available in the essential areas of health care. It is that simple. Of course, the opportunity will always be available for people to try to extract a little short-term political advantage, but I think anyone with a commitment to and long-term interest in our state health system would do the same thing.
Mr J.H.D. Day: We will make sure the funding is there for mental health. Mr J.A. McGINTY: That is a different proposition. The Leader of the Opposition said publicly that he would restore the cuts. We all know damned well that Derbarl Yerrigan is the one service that provides direct patient care in the mental health area that the member’s side of politics is not in favour of funding, and that it would cut the funding to that service. I agree with the observations that have been made by Professor D’Arcy Holman. I have met with him about the review of the Mental Health Act and the Criminal Law (Mentally Impaired Defendants) Act. I think everyone in this House would be wholeheartedly in agreement with the thrust of what he has said in his report. We all know the problems that exist in all these areas of health expenditure; members opposite know them as well as we do. We have had a reduction in federal funding. The federal Government has taken $110 million out of our funding for public hospitals over the next five years. It is intensely tight. The SPEAKER: Order! I call the member for Nedlands to order for the first time. Mr J.A. McGINTY: We had a critically tight state budget in any event, even before the federal cuts came into play. Demand is also dramatically increasing. Any responsible manager in this context would look at achieving a very simple thing; that is, reorientating the money that is spent in health care, regardless of whether it is spent in teaching hospitals, community based organisations in mental health or wherever, towards those core areas of activity to ensure we have a public hospital and health system in this State that we know will be there in our hour of need, and one of which we can all be proud. That is the process the Government is undertaking. It must ensure that the public hospital system stops lurching from crisis to crisis, which it has done for a long time, financially and otherwise; it must ensure that it is available, and that the public has confidence that it will deliver in its hour of need to ordinary Western Australian citizens. That will take some reorientation of funding. We have taken funding from non-core areas where funding is not essential and made sure it will be available in the essential areas of health care. It is that simple. Of course, the opportunity will always be available for people to try to extract a little short-term political advantage, but I think anyone with a commitment to and long-term interest in our state health system would do the same thing.
Mr J.A. McGINTY: That is a different proposition. The Leader of the Opposition said publicly that he would restore the cuts. We all know damned well that Derbarl Yerrigan is the one service that provides direct patient care in the mental health area that the member’s side of politics is not in favour of funding, and that it would cut the funding to that service. I agree with the observations that have been made by Professor D’Arcy Holman. I have met with him about the review of the Mental Health Act and the Criminal Law (Mentally Impaired Defendants) Act. I think everyone in this House would be wholeheartedly in agreement with the thrust of what he has said in his report. We all know the problems that exist in all these areas of health expenditure; members opposite know them as well as we do. We have had a reduction in federal funding. The federal Government has taken $110 million out of our funding for public hospitals over the next five years. It is intensely tight. The SPEAKER: Order! I call the member for Nedlands to order for the first time. Mr J.A. McGINTY: We had a critically tight state budget in any event, even before the federal cuts came into play. Demand is also dramatically increasing. Any responsible manager in this context would look at achieving a very simple thing; that is, reorientating the money that is spent in health care, regardless of whether it is spent in teaching hospitals, community based organisations in mental health or wherever, towards those core areas of activity to ensure we have a public hospital and health system in this State that we know will be there in our hour of need, and one of which we can all be proud. That is the process the Government is undertaking. It must ensure that the public hospital system stops lurching from crisis to crisis, which it has done for a long time, financially and otherwise; it must ensure that it is available, and that the public has confidence that it will deliver in its hour of need to ordinary Western Australian citizens. That will take some reorientation of funding. We have taken funding from non-core areas where funding is not essential and made sure it will be available in the essential areas of health care. It is that simple. Of course, the opportunity will always be available for people to try to extract a little short-term political advantage, but I think anyone with a commitment to and long-term interest in our state health system would do the same thing.
The SPEAKER: Order! I call the member for Nedlands to order for the first time. Mr J.A. McGINTY: We had a critically tight state budget in any event, even before the federal cuts came into play. Demand is also dramatically increasing. Any responsible manager in this context would look at achieving a very simple thing; that is, reorientating the money that is spent in health care, regardless of whether it is spent in teaching hospitals, community based organisations in mental health or wherever, towards those core areas of activity to ensure we have a public hospital and health system in this State that we know will be there in our hour of need, and one of which we can all be proud. That is the process the Government is undertaking. It must ensure that the public hospital system stops lurching from crisis to crisis, which it has done for a long time, financially and otherwise; it must ensure that it is available, and that the public has confidence that it will deliver in its hour of need to ordinary Western Australian citizens. That will take some reorientation of funding. We have taken funding from non-core areas where funding is not essential and made sure it will be available in the essential areas of health care. It is that simple. Of course, the opportunity will always be available for people to try to extract a little short-term political advantage, but I think anyone with a commitment to and long-term interest in our state health system would do the same thing.
Mr J.A. McGINTY: We had a critically tight state budget in any event, even before the federal cuts came into play. Demand is also dramatically increasing. Any responsible manager in this context would look at achieving a very simple thing; that is, reorientating the money that is spent in health care, regardless of whether it is spent in teaching hospitals, community based organisations in mental health or wherever, towards those core areas of activity to ensure we have a public hospital and health system in this State that we know will be there in our hour of need, and one of which we can all be proud. That is the process the Government is undertaking. It must ensure that the public hospital system stops lurching from crisis to crisis, which it has done for a long time, financially and otherwise; it must ensure that it is available, and that the public has confidence that it will deliver in its hour of need to ordinary Western Australian citizens. That will take some reorientation of funding. We have taken funding from non-core areas where funding is not essential and made sure it will be available in the essential areas of health care. It is that simple. Of course, the opportunity will always be available for people to try to extract a little short-term political advantage, but I think anyone with a commitment to and long-term interest in our state health system would do the same thing.
(1) How does the minister reconcile this statement with his decision to arbitrarily cut at least $2 million from community-based mental health prevention and support services? (2) Given that the Government chose eminent academic Professor D’Arcy Holman to review mental health services, and given the advice of Professor Holman in that report, will the minister now review his decision to cut those mental health services? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(2) The only non-government organisation that provided clinical services to the mentally unwell and that had its funding cut as a result of the changes announced a month ago was Derbarl Yerrigan. Derbarl Yerrigan was the only non-government organisation whose funds were cut that provided direct services to mental health patients. Mr M.F. Board: That is not true. Mr J.A. McGINTY: It is absolutely true. We all know, and I think members opposite appreciate as well, the significant difficulties that Derbarl Yerrigan faces. Mr M.F. Board: We are talking about prevention programs. Mr J.A. McGINTY: I notice that the Leader of the Opposition said that he would reinstate all the cuts that were made to the mental health area. I would be surprised if he reinstated the cut that was made to Derbarl Yerrigan, because that would be inconsistent with the view that he has previously put in this place. Derbarl Yerrigan was the only non-government organisation that provided nursing and clinical care for the mentally unwell. That needs to be said to put the matter in context, because the other services that were cut did not provide care or clinical services to the mentally unwell in this State. Mr M.F. Board: They are prevention programs. Mr J.A. McGINTY: No, they are not, because they are not directed at service delivery specifically for the mentally unwell, although they may well be indirectly connected around the back way in terms of capacity building and those sorts of things. Several members interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY: I gave the Leader of the Opposition the opportunity to comment a minute ago when I said that notwithstanding his public statement that he would restore the mental health cuts, we all know that he will not restore the cut to Derbarl Yerrigan. Mr J.H.D. Day: We will make sure the funding is there for mental health. Mr J.A. McGINTY: That is a different proposition. The Leader of the Opposition said publicly that he would restore the cuts. We all know damned well that Derbarl Yerrigan is the one service that provides direct patient care in the mental health area that the member’s side of politics is not in favour of funding, and that it would cut the funding to that service. I agree with the observations that have been made by Professor D’Arcy Holman. I have met with him about the review of the Mental Health Act and the Criminal Law (Mentally Impaired Defendants) Act. I think everyone in this House would be wholeheartedly in agreement with the thrust of what he has said in his report. We all know the problems that exist in all these areas of health expenditure; members opposite know them as well as we do. We have had a reduction in federal funding. The federal Government has taken $110 million out of our funding for public hospitals over the next five years. It is intensely tight. The SPEAKER: Order! I call the member for Nedlands to order for the first time. Mr J.A. McGINTY: We had a critically tight state budget in any event, even before the federal cuts came into play. Demand is also dramatically increasing. Any responsible manager in this context would look at achieving a very simple thing; that is, reorientating the money that is spent in health care, regardless of whether it is spent in teaching hospitals, community based organisations in mental health or wherever, towards those core areas of activity to ensure we have a public hospital and health system in this State that we know will be there in our hour of need, and one of which we can all be proud. That is the process the Government is undertaking. It must ensure that the public hospital system stops lurching from crisis to crisis, which it has done for a long time, financially and otherwise; it must ensure that it is available, and that the public has confidence that it will deliver in its hour of need to ordinary Western Australian citizens. That will take some reorientation of funding. We have taken funding from non-core areas where funding is not essential and made sure it will be available in the essential areas of health care. It is that simple. Of course, the opportunity will always be available for people to try to extract a little short-term political advantage, but I think anyone with a commitment to and long-term interest in our state health system would do the same thing.
(2) Given that the Government chose eminent academic Professor D’Arcy Holman to review mental health services, and given the advice of Professor Holman in that report, will the minister now review his decision to cut those mental health services? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(2) The only non-government organisation that provided clinical services to the mentally unwell and that had its funding cut as a result of the changes announced a month ago was Derbarl Yerrigan. Derbarl Yerrigan was the only non-government organisation whose funds were cut that provided direct services to mental health patients. Mr M.F. Board: That is not true. Mr J.A. McGINTY: It is absolutely true. We all know, and I think members opposite appreciate as well, the significant difficulties that Derbarl Yerrigan faces. Mr M.F. Board: We are talking about prevention programs. Mr J.A. McGINTY: I notice that the Leader of the Opposition said that he would reinstate all the cuts that were made to the mental health area. I would be surprised if he reinstated the cut that was made to Derbarl Yerrigan, because that would be inconsistent with the view that he has previously put in this place. Derbarl Yerrigan was the only non-government organisation that provided nursing and clinical care for the mentally unwell. That needs to be said to put the matter in context, because the other services that were cut did not provide care or clinical services to the mentally unwell in this State. Mr M.F. Board: They are prevention programs. Mr J.A. McGINTY: No, they are not, because they are not directed at service delivery specifically for the mentally unwell, although they may well be indirectly connected around the back way in terms of capacity building and those sorts of things. Several members interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY: I gave the Leader of the Opposition the opportunity to comment a minute ago when I said that notwithstanding his public statement that he would restore the mental health cuts, we all know that he will not restore the cut to Derbarl Yerrigan. Mr J.H.D. Day: We will make sure the funding is there for mental health. Mr J.A. McGINTY: That is a different proposition. The Leader of the Opposition said publicly that he would restore the cuts. We all know damned well that Derbarl Yerrigan is the one service that provides direct patient care in the mental health area that the member’s side of politics is not in favour of funding, and that it would cut the funding to that service. I agree with the observations that have been made by Professor D’Arcy Holman. I have met with him about the review of the Mental Health Act and the Criminal Law (Mentally Impaired Defendants) Act. I think everyone in this House would be wholeheartedly in agreement with the thrust of what he has said in his report. We all know the problems that exist in all these areas of health expenditure; members opposite know them as well as we do. We have had a reduction in federal funding. The federal Government has taken $110 million out of our funding for public hospitals over the next five years. It is intensely tight. The SPEAKER: Order! I call the member for Nedlands to order for the first time. Mr J.A. McGINTY: We had a critically tight state budget in any event, even before the federal cuts came into play. Demand is also dramatically increasing. Any responsible manager in this context would look at achieving a very simple thing; that is, reorientating the money that is spent in health care, regardless of whether it is spent in teaching hospitals, community based organisations in mental health or wherever, towards those core areas of activity to ensure we have a public hospital and health system in this State that we know will be there in our hour of need, and one of which we can all be proud. That is the process the Government is undertaking. It must ensure that the public hospital system stops lurching from crisis to crisis, which it has done for a long time, financially and otherwise; it must ensure that it is available, and that the public has confidence that it will deliver in its hour of need to ordinary Western Australian citizens. That will take some reorientation of funding. We have taken funding from non-core areas where funding is not essential and made sure it will be available in the essential areas of health care. It is that simple. Of course, the opportunity will always be available for people to try to extract a little short-term political advantage, but I think anyone with a commitment to and long-term interest in our state health system would do the same thing.
Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(2) The only non-government organisation that provided clinical services to the mentally unwell and that had its funding cut as a result of the changes announced a month ago was Derbarl Yerrigan. Derbarl Yerrigan was the only non-government organisation whose funds were cut that provided direct services to mental health patients. Mr M.F. Board: That is not true. Mr J.A. McGINTY: It is absolutely true. We all know, and I think members opposite appreciate as well, the significant difficulties that Derbarl Yerrigan faces. Mr M.F. Board: We are talking about prevention programs. Mr J.A. McGINTY: I notice that the Leader of the Opposition said that he would reinstate all the cuts that were made to the mental health area. I would be surprised if he reinstated the cut that was made to Derbarl Yerrigan, because that would be inconsistent with the view that he has previously put in this place. Derbarl Yerrigan was the only non-government organisation that provided nursing and clinical care for the mentally unwell. That needs to be said to put the matter in context, because the other services that were cut did not provide care or clinical services to the mentally unwell in this State. Mr M.F. Board: They are prevention programs. Mr J.A. McGINTY: No, they are not, because they are not directed at service delivery specifically for the mentally unwell, although they may well be indirectly connected around the back way in terms of capacity building and those sorts of things. Several members interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY: I gave the Leader of the Opposition the opportunity to comment a minute ago when I said that notwithstanding his public statement that he would restore the mental health cuts, we all know that he will not restore the cut to Derbarl Yerrigan. Mr J.H.D. Day: We will make sure the funding is there for mental health. Mr J.A. McGINTY: That is a different proposition. The Leader of the Opposition said publicly that he would restore the cuts. We all know damned well that Derbarl Yerrigan is the one service that provides direct patient care in the mental health area that the member’s side of politics is not in favour of funding, and that it would cut the funding to that service. I agree with the observations that have been made by Professor D’Arcy Holman. I have met with him about the review of the Mental Health Act and the Criminal Law (Mentally Impaired Defendants) Act. I think everyone in this House would be wholeheartedly in agreement with the thrust of what he has said in his report. We all know the problems that exist in all these areas of health expenditure; members opposite know them as well as we do. We have had a reduction in federal funding. The federal Government has taken $110 million out of our funding for public hospitals over the next five years. It is intensely tight. The SPEAKER: Order! I call the member for Nedlands to order for the first time. Mr J.A. McGINTY: We had a critically tight state budget in any event, even before the federal cuts came into play. Demand is also dramatically increasing. Any responsible manager in this context would look at achieving a very simple thing; that is, reorientating the money that is spent in health care, regardless of whether it is spent in teaching hospitals, community based organisations in mental health or wherever, towards those core areas of activity to ensure we have a public hospital and health system in this State that we know will be there in our hour of need, and one of which we can all be proud. That is the process the Government is undertaking. It must ensure that the public hospital system stops lurching from crisis to crisis, which it has done for a long time, financially and otherwise; it must ensure that it is available, and that the public has confidence that it will deliver in its hour of need to ordinary Western Australian citizens. That will take some reorientation of funding. We have taken funding from non-core areas where funding is not essential and made sure it will be available in the essential areas of health care. It is that simple. Of course, the opportunity will always be available for people to try to extract a little short-term political advantage, but I think anyone with a commitment to and long-term interest in our state health system would do the same thing.
(1)-(2) The only non-government organisation that provided clinical services to the mentally unwell and that had its funding cut as a result of the changes announced a month ago was Derbarl Yerrigan. Derbarl Yerrigan was the only non-government organisation whose funds were cut that provided direct services to mental health patients. Mr M.F. Board: That is not true. Mr J.A. McGINTY: It is absolutely true. We all know, and I think members opposite appreciate as well, the significant difficulties that Derbarl Yerrigan faces. Mr M.F. Board: We are talking about prevention programs. Mr J.A. McGINTY: I notice that the Leader of the Opposition said that he would reinstate all the cuts that were made to the mental health area. I would be surprised if he reinstated the cut that was made to Derbarl Yerrigan, because that would be inconsistent with the view that he has previously put in this place. Derbarl Yerrigan was the only non-government organisation that provided nursing and clinical care for the mentally unwell. That needs to be said to put the matter in context, because the other services that were cut did not provide care or clinical services to the mentally unwell in this State. Mr M.F. Board: They are prevention programs. Mr J.A. McGINTY: No, they are not, because they are not directed at service delivery specifically for the mentally unwell, although they may well be indirectly connected around the back way in terms of capacity building and those sorts of things. Several members interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY: I gave the Leader of the Opposition the opportunity to comment a minute ago when I said that notwithstanding his public statement that he would restore the mental health cuts, we all know that he will not restore the cut to Derbarl Yerrigan. Mr J.H.D. Day: We will make sure the funding is there for mental health. Mr J.A. McGINTY: That is a different proposition. The Leader of the Opposition said publicly that he would restore the cuts. We all know damned well that Derbarl Yerrigan is the one service that provides direct patient care in the mental health area that the member’s side of politics is not in favour of funding, and that it would cut the funding to that service. I agree with the observations that have been made by Professor D’Arcy Holman. I have met with him about the review of the Mental Health Act and the Criminal Law (Mentally Impaired Defendants) Act. I think everyone in this House would be wholeheartedly in agreement with the thrust of what he has said in his report. We all know the problems that exist in all these areas of health expenditure; members opposite know them as well as we do. We have had a reduction in federal funding. The federal Government has taken $110 million out of our funding for public hospitals over the next five years. It is intensely tight. The SPEAKER: Order! I call the member for Nedlands to order for the first time. Mr J.A. McGINTY: We had a critically tight state budget in any event, even before the federal cuts came into play. Demand is also dramatically increasing. Any responsible manager in this context would look at achieving a very simple thing; that is, reorientating the money that is spent in health care, regardless of whether it is spent in teaching hospitals, community based organisations in mental health or wherever, towards those core areas of activity to ensure we have a public hospital and health system in this State that we know will be there in our hour of need, and one of which we can all be proud. That is the process the Government is undertaking. It must ensure that the public hospital system stops lurching from crisis to crisis, which it has done for a long time, financially and otherwise; it must ensure that it is available, and that the public has confidence that it will deliver in its hour of need to ordinary Western Australian citizens. That will take some reorientation of funding. We have taken funding from non-core areas where funding is not essential and made sure it will be available in the essential areas of health care. It is that simple. Of course, the opportunity will always be available for people to try to extract a little short-term political advantage, but I think anyone with a commitment to and long-term interest in our state health system would do the same thing.
Mr M.F. Board: That is not true. Mr J.A. McGINTY: It is absolutely true. We all know, and I think members opposite appreciate as well, the significant difficulties that Derbarl Yerrigan faces. Mr M.F. Board: We are talking about prevention programs. Mr J.A. McGINTY: I notice that the Leader of the Opposition said that he would reinstate all the cuts that were made to the mental health area. I would be surprised if he reinstated the cut that was made to Derbarl Yerrigan, because that would be inconsistent with the view that he has previously put in this place. Derbarl Yerrigan was the only non-government organisation that provided nursing and clinical care for the mentally unwell. That needs to be said to put the matter in context, because the other services that were cut did not provide care or clinical services to the mentally unwell in this State. Mr M.F. Board: They are prevention programs. Mr J.A. McGINTY: No, they are not, because they are not directed at service delivery specifically for the mentally unwell, although they may well be indirectly connected around the back way in terms of capacity building and those sorts of things. Several members interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY: I gave the Leader of the Opposition the opportunity to comment a minute ago when I said that notwithstanding his public statement that he would restore the mental health cuts, we all know that he will not restore the cut to Derbarl Yerrigan. Mr J.H.D. Day: We will make sure the funding is there for mental health. Mr J.A. McGINTY: That is a different proposition. The Leader of the Opposition said publicly that he would restore the cuts. We all know damned well that Derbarl Yerrigan is the one service that provides direct patient care in the mental health area that the member’s side of politics is not in favour of funding, and that it would cut the funding to that service. I agree with the observations that have been made by Professor D’Arcy Holman. I have met with him about the review of the Mental Health Act and the Criminal Law (Mentally Impaired Defendants) Act. I think everyone in this House would be wholeheartedly in agreement with the thrust of what he has said in his report. We all know the problems that exist in all these areas of health expenditure; members opposite know them as well as we do. We have had a reduction in federal funding. The federal Government has taken $110 million out of our funding for public hospitals over the next five years. It is intensely tight. The SPEAKER: Order! I call the member for Nedlands to order for the first time. Mr J.A. McGINTY: We had a critically tight state budget in any event, even before the federal cuts came into play. Demand is also dramatically increasing. Any responsible manager in this context would look at achieving a very simple thing; that is, reorientating the money that is spent in health care, regardless of whether it is spent in teaching hospitals, community based organisations in mental health or wherever, towards those core areas of activity to ensure we have a public hospital and health system in this State that we know will be there in our hour of need, and one of which we can all be proud. That is the process the Government is undertaking. It must ensure that the public hospital system stops lurching from crisis to crisis, which it has done for a long time, financially and otherwise; it must ensure that it is available, and that the public has confidence that it will deliver in its hour of need to ordinary Western Australian citizens. That will take some reorientation of funding. We have taken funding from non-core areas where funding is not essential and made sure it will be available in the essential areas of health care. It is that simple. Of course, the opportunity will always be available for people to try to extract a little short-term political advantage, but I think anyone with a commitment to and long-term interest in our state health system would do the same thing.
Mr J.A. McGINTY: It is absolutely true. We all know, and I think members opposite appreciate as well, the significant difficulties that Derbarl Yerrigan faces. Mr M.F. Board: We are talking about prevention programs. Mr J.A. McGINTY: I notice that the Leader of the Opposition said that he would reinstate all the cuts that were made to the mental health area. I would be surprised if he reinstated the cut that was made to Derbarl Yerrigan, because that would be inconsistent with the view that he has previously put in this place. Derbarl Yerrigan was the only non-government organisation that provided nursing and clinical care for the mentally unwell. That needs to be said to put the matter in context, because the other services that were cut did not provide care or clinical services to the mentally unwell in this State. Mr M.F. Board: They are prevention programs. Mr J.A. McGINTY: No, they are not, because they are not directed at service delivery specifically for the mentally unwell, although they may well be indirectly connected around the back way in terms of capacity building and those sorts of things. Several members interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY: I gave the Leader of the Opposition the opportunity to comment a minute ago when I said that notwithstanding his public statement that he would restore the mental health cuts, we all know that he will not restore the cut to Derbarl Yerrigan. Mr J.H.D. Day: We will make sure the funding is there for mental health. Mr J.A. McGINTY: That is a different proposition. The Leader of the Opposition said publicly that he would restore the cuts. We all know damned well that Derbarl Yerrigan is the one service that provides direct patient care in the mental health area that the member’s side of politics is not in favour of funding, and that it would cut the funding to that service. I agree with the observations that have been made by Professor D’Arcy Holman. I have met with him about the review of the Mental Health Act and the Criminal Law (Mentally Impaired Defendants) Act. I think everyone in this House would be wholeheartedly in agreement with the thrust of what he has said in his report. We all know the problems that exist in all these areas of health expenditure; members opposite know them as well as we do. We have had a reduction in federal funding. The federal Government has taken $110 million out of our funding for public hospitals over the next five years. It is intensely tight. The SPEAKER: Order! I call the member for Nedlands to order for the first time. Mr J.A. McGINTY: We had a critically tight state budget in any event, even before the federal cuts came into play. Demand is also dramatically increasing. Any responsible manager in this context would look at achieving a very simple thing; that is, reorientating the money that is spent in health care, regardless of whether it is spent in teaching hospitals, community based organisations in mental health or wherever, towards those core areas of activity to ensure we have a public hospital and health system in this State that we know will be there in our hour of need, and one of which we can all be proud. That is the process the Government is undertaking. It must ensure that the public hospital system stops lurching from crisis to crisis, which it has done for a long time, financially and otherwise; it must ensure that it is available, and that the public has confidence that it will deliver in its hour of need to ordinary Western Australian citizens. That will take some reorientation of funding. We have taken funding from non-core areas where funding is not essential and made sure it will be available in the essential areas of health care. It is that simple. Of course, the opportunity will always be available for people to try to extract a little short-term political advantage, but I think anyone with a commitment to and long-term interest in our state health system would do the same thing.
Mr M.F. Board: We are talking about prevention programs. Mr J.A. McGINTY: I notice that the Leader of the Opposition said that he would reinstate all the cuts that were made to the mental health area. I would be surprised if he reinstated the cut that was made to Derbarl Yerrigan, because that would be inconsistent with the view that he has previously put in this place. Derbarl Yerrigan was the only non-government organisation that provided nursing and clinical care for the mentally unwell. That needs to be said to put the matter in context, because the other services that were cut did not provide care or clinical services to the mentally unwell in this State. Mr M.F. Board: They are prevention programs. Mr J.A. McGINTY: No, they are not, because they are not directed at service delivery specifically for the mentally unwell, although they may well be indirectly connected around the back way in terms of capacity building and those sorts of things. Several members interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY: I gave the Leader of the Opposition the opportunity to comment a minute ago when I said that notwithstanding his public statement that he would restore the mental health cuts, we all know that he will not restore the cut to Derbarl Yerrigan. Mr J.H.D. Day: We will make sure the funding is there for mental health. Mr J.A. McGINTY: That is a different proposition. The Leader of the Opposition said publicly that he would restore the cuts. We all know damned well that Derbarl Yerrigan is the one service that provides direct patient care in the mental health area that the member’s side of politics is not in favour of funding, and that it would cut the funding to that service. I agree with the observations that have been made by Professor D’Arcy Holman. I have met with him about the review of the Mental Health Act and the Criminal Law (Mentally Impaired Defendants) Act. I think everyone in this House would be wholeheartedly in agreement with the thrust of what he has said in his report. We all know the problems that exist in all these areas of health expenditure; members opposite know them as well as we do. We have had a reduction in federal funding. The federal Government has taken $110 million out of our funding for public hospitals over the next five years. It is intensely tight. The SPEAKER: Order! I call the member for Nedlands to order for the first time. Mr J.A. McGINTY: We had a critically tight state budget in any event, even before the federal cuts came into play. Demand is also dramatically increasing. Any responsible manager in this context would look at achieving a very simple thing; that is, reorientating the money that is spent in health care, regardless of whether it is spent in teaching hospitals, community based organisations in mental health or wherever, towards those core areas of activity to ensure we have a public hospital and health system in this State that we know will be there in our hour of need, and one of which we can all be proud. That is the process the Government is undertaking. It must ensure that the public hospital system stops lurching from crisis to crisis, which it has done for a long time, financially and otherwise; it must ensure that it is available, and that the public has confidence that it will deliver in its hour of need to ordinary Western Australian citizens. That will take some reorientation of funding. We have taken funding from non-core areas where funding is not essential and made sure it will be available in the essential areas of health care. It is that simple. Of course, the opportunity will always be available for people to try to extract a little short-term political advantage, but I think anyone with a commitment to and long-term interest in our state health system would do the same thing.
Mr J.A. McGINTY: I notice that the Leader of the Opposition said that he would reinstate all the cuts that were made to the mental health area. I would be surprised if he reinstated the cut that was made to Derbarl Yerrigan, because that would be inconsistent with the view that he has previously put in this place. Derbarl Yerrigan was the only non-government organisation that provided nursing and clinical care for the mentally unwell. That needs to be said to put the matter in context, because the other services that were cut did not provide care or clinical services to the mentally unwell in this State. Mr M.F. Board: They are prevention programs. Mr J.A. McGINTY: No, they are not, because they are not directed at service delivery specifically for the mentally unwell, although they may well be indirectly connected around the back way in terms of capacity building and those sorts of things. Several members interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY: I gave the Leader of the Opposition the opportunity to comment a minute ago when I said that notwithstanding his public statement that he would restore the mental health cuts, we all know that he will not restore the cut to Derbarl Yerrigan. Mr J.H.D. Day: We will make sure the funding is there for mental health. Mr J.A. McGINTY: That is a different proposition. The Leader of the Opposition said publicly that he would restore the cuts. We all know damned well that Derbarl Yerrigan is the one service that provides direct patient care in the mental health area that the member’s side of politics is not in favour of funding, and that it would cut the funding to that service. I agree with the observations that have been made by Professor D’Arcy Holman. I have met with him about the review of the Mental Health Act and the Criminal Law (Mentally Impaired Defendants) Act. I think everyone in this House would be wholeheartedly in agreement with the thrust of what he has said in his report. We all know the problems that exist in all these areas of health expenditure; members opposite know them as well as we do. We have had a reduction in federal funding. The federal Government has taken $110 million out of our funding for public hospitals over the next five years. It is intensely tight. The SPEAKER: Order! I call the member for Nedlands to order for the first time. Mr J.A. McGINTY: We had a critically tight state budget in any event, even before the federal cuts came into play. Demand is also dramatically increasing. Any responsible manager in this context would look at achieving a very simple thing; that is, reorientating the money that is spent in health care, regardless of whether it is spent in teaching hospitals, community based organisations in mental health or wherever, towards those core areas of activity to ensure we have a public hospital and health system in this State that we know will be there in our hour of need, and one of which we can all be proud. That is the process the Government is undertaking. It must ensure that the public hospital system stops lurching from crisis to crisis, which it has done for a long time, financially and otherwise; it must ensure that it is available, and that the public has confidence that it will deliver in its hour of need to ordinary Western Australian citizens. That will take some reorientation of funding. We have taken funding from non-core areas where funding is not essential and made sure it will be available in the essential areas of health care. It is that simple. Of course, the opportunity will always be available for people to try to extract a little short-term political advantage, but I think anyone with a commitment to and long-term interest in our state health system would do the same thing.
Mr M.F. Board: They are prevention programs. Mr J.A. McGINTY: No, they are not, because they are not directed at service delivery specifically for the mentally unwell, although they may well be indirectly connected around the back way in terms of capacity building and those sorts of things. Several members interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY: I gave the Leader of the Opposition the opportunity to comment a minute ago when I said that notwithstanding his public statement that he would restore the mental health cuts, we all know that he will not restore the cut to Derbarl Yerrigan. Mr J.H.D. Day: We will make sure the funding is there for mental health. Mr J.A. McGINTY: That is a different proposition. The Leader of the Opposition said publicly that he would restore the cuts. We all know damned well that Derbarl Yerrigan is the one service that provides direct patient care in the mental health area that the member’s side of politics is not in favour of funding, and that it would cut the funding to that service. I agree with the observations that have been made by Professor D’Arcy Holman. I have met with him about the review of the Mental Health Act and the Criminal Law (Mentally Impaired Defendants) Act. I think everyone in this House would be wholeheartedly in agreement with the thrust of what he has said in his report. We all know the problems that exist in all these areas of health expenditure; members opposite know them as well as we do. We have had a reduction in federal funding. The federal Government has taken $110 million out of our funding for public hospitals over the next five years. It is intensely tight. The SPEAKER: Order! I call the member for Nedlands to order for the first time. Mr J.A. McGINTY: We had a critically tight state budget in any event, even before the federal cuts came into play. Demand is also dramatically increasing. Any responsible manager in this context would look at achieving a very simple thing; that is, reorientating the money that is spent in health care, regardless of whether it is spent in teaching hospitals, community based organisations in mental health or wherever, towards those core areas of activity to ensure we have a public hospital and health system in this State that we know will be there in our hour of need, and one of which we can all be proud. That is the process the Government is undertaking. It must ensure that the public hospital system stops lurching from crisis to crisis, which it has done for a long time, financially and otherwise; it must ensure that it is available, and that the public has confidence that it will deliver in its hour of need to ordinary Western Australian citizens. That will take some reorientation of funding. We have taken funding from non-core areas where funding is not essential and made sure it will be available in the essential areas of health care. It is that simple. Of course, the opportunity will always be available for people to try to extract a little short-term political advantage, but I think anyone with a commitment to and long-term interest in our state health system would do the same thing.
Mr J.A. McGINTY: No, they are not, because they are not directed at service delivery specifically for the mentally unwell, although they may well be indirectly connected around the back way in terms of capacity building and those sorts of things. Several members interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY: I gave the Leader of the Opposition the opportunity to comment a minute ago when I said that notwithstanding his public statement that he would restore the mental health cuts, we all know that he will not restore the cut to Derbarl Yerrigan. Mr J.H.D. Day: We will make sure the funding is there for mental health. Mr J.A. McGINTY: That is a different proposition. The Leader of the Opposition said publicly that he would restore the cuts. We all know damned well that Derbarl Yerrigan is the one service that provides direct patient care in the mental health area that the member’s side of politics is not in favour of funding, and that it would cut the funding to that service. I agree with the observations that have been made by Professor D’Arcy Holman. I have met with him about the review of the Mental Health Act and the Criminal Law (Mentally Impaired Defendants) Act. I think everyone in this House would be wholeheartedly in agreement with the thrust of what he has said in his report. We all know the problems that exist in all these areas of health expenditure; members opposite know them as well as we do. We have had a reduction in federal funding. The federal Government has taken $110 million out of our funding for public hospitals over the next five years. It is intensely tight. The SPEAKER: Order! I call the member for Nedlands to order for the first time. Mr J.A. McGINTY: We had a critically tight state budget in any event, even before the federal cuts came into play. Demand is also dramatically increasing. Any responsible manager in this context would look at achieving a very simple thing; that is, reorientating the money that is spent in health care, regardless of whether it is spent in teaching hospitals, community based organisations in mental health or wherever, towards those core areas of activity to ensure we have a public hospital and health system in this State that we know will be there in our hour of need, and one of which we can all be proud. That is the process the Government is undertaking. It must ensure that the public hospital system stops lurching from crisis to crisis, which it has done for a long time, financially and otherwise; it must ensure that it is available, and that the public has confidence that it will deliver in its hour of need to ordinary Western Australian citizens. That will take some reorientation of funding. We have taken funding from non-core areas where funding is not essential and made sure it will be available in the essential areas of health care. It is that simple. Of course, the opportunity will always be available for people to try to extract a little short-term political advantage, but I think anyone with a commitment to and long-term interest in our state health system would do the same thing.
Several members interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY: I gave the Leader of the Opposition the opportunity to comment a minute ago when I said that notwithstanding his public statement that he would restore the mental health cuts, we all know that he will not restore the cut to Derbarl Yerrigan. Mr J.H.D. Day: We will make sure the funding is there for mental health. Mr J.A. McGINTY: That is a different proposition. The Leader of the Opposition said publicly that he would restore the cuts. We all know damned well that Derbarl Yerrigan is the one service that provides direct patient care in the mental health area that the member’s side of politics is not in favour of funding, and that it would cut the funding to that service. I agree with the observations that have been made by Professor D’Arcy Holman. I have met with him about the review of the Mental Health Act and the Criminal Law (Mentally Impaired Defendants) Act. I think everyone in this House would be wholeheartedly in agreement with the thrust of what he has said in his report. We all know the problems that exist in all these areas of health expenditure; members opposite know them as well as we do. We have had a reduction in federal funding. The federal Government has taken $110 million out of our funding for public hospitals over the next five years. It is intensely tight. The SPEAKER: Order! I call the member for Nedlands to order for the first time. Mr J.A. McGINTY: We had a critically tight state budget in any event, even before the federal cuts came into play. Demand is also dramatically increasing. Any responsible manager in this context would look at achieving a very simple thing; that is, reorientating the money that is spent in health care, regardless of whether it is spent in teaching hospitals, community based organisations in mental health or wherever, towards those core areas of activity to ensure we have a public hospital and health system in this State that we know will be there in our hour of need, and one of which we can all be proud. That is the process the Government is undertaking. It must ensure that the public hospital system stops lurching from crisis to crisis, which it has done for a long time, financially and otherwise; it must ensure that it is available, and that the public has confidence that it will deliver in its hour of need to ordinary Western Australian citizens. That will take some reorientation of funding. We have taken funding from non-core areas where funding is not essential and made sure it will be available in the essential areas of health care. It is that simple. Of course, the opportunity will always be available for people to try to extract a little short-term political advantage, but I think anyone with a commitment to and long-term interest in our state health system would do the same thing.
Mr J.A. McGINTY: I gave the Leader of the Opposition the opportunity to comment a minute ago when I said that notwithstanding his public statement that he would restore the mental health cuts, we all know that he will not restore the cut to Derbarl Yerrigan. Mr J.H.D. Day: We will make sure the funding is there for mental health. Mr J.A. McGINTY: That is a different proposition. The Leader of the Opposition said publicly that he would restore the cuts. We all know damned well that Derbarl Yerrigan is the one service that provides direct patient care in the mental health area that the member’s side of politics is not in favour of funding, and that it would cut the funding to that service. I agree with the observations that have been made by Professor D’Arcy Holman. I have met with him about the review of the Mental Health Act and the Criminal Law (Mentally Impaired Defendants) Act. I think everyone in this House would be wholeheartedly in agreement with the thrust of what he has said in his report. We all know the problems that exist in all these areas of health expenditure; members opposite know them as well as we do. We have had a reduction in federal funding. The federal Government has taken $110 million out of our funding for public hospitals over the next five years. It is intensely tight. The SPEAKER: Order! I call the member for Nedlands to order for the first time. Mr J.A. McGINTY: We had a critically tight state budget in any event, even before the federal cuts came into play. Demand is also dramatically increasing. Any responsible manager in this context would look at achieving a very simple thing; that is, reorientating the money that is spent in health care, regardless of whether it is spent in teaching hospitals, community based organisations in mental health or wherever, towards those core areas of activity to ensure we have a public hospital and health system in this State that we know will be there in our hour of need, and one of which we can all be proud. That is the process the Government is undertaking. It must ensure that the public hospital system stops lurching from crisis to crisis, which it has done for a long time, financially and otherwise; it must ensure that it is available, and that the public has confidence that it will deliver in its hour of need to ordinary Western Australian citizens. That will take some reorientation of funding. We have taken funding from non-core areas where funding is not essential and made sure it will be available in the essential areas of health care. It is that simple. Of course, the opportunity will always be available for people to try to extract a little short-term political advantage, but I think anyone with a commitment to and long-term interest in our state health system would do the same thing.
Mr J.H.D. Day: We will make sure the funding is there for mental health. Mr J.A. McGINTY: That is a different proposition. The Leader of the Opposition said publicly that he would restore the cuts. We all know damned well that Derbarl Yerrigan is the one service that provides direct patient care in the mental health area that the member’s side of politics is not in favour of funding, and that it would cut the funding to that service. I agree with the observations that have been made by Professor D’Arcy Holman. I have met with him about the review of the Mental Health Act and the Criminal Law (Mentally Impaired Defendants) Act. I think everyone in this House would be wholeheartedly in agreement with the thrust of what he has said in his report. We all know the problems that exist in all these areas of health expenditure; members opposite know them as well as we do. We have had a reduction in federal funding. The federal Government has taken $110 million out of our funding for public hospitals over the next five years. It is intensely tight. The SPEAKER: Order! I call the member for Nedlands to order for the first time. Mr J.A. McGINTY: We had a critically tight state budget in any event, even before the federal cuts came into play. Demand is also dramatically increasing. Any responsible manager in this context would look at achieving a very simple thing; that is, reorientating the money that is spent in health care, regardless of whether it is spent in teaching hospitals, community based organisations in mental health or wherever, towards those core areas of activity to ensure we have a public hospital and health system in this State that we know will be there in our hour of need, and one of which we can all be proud. That is the process the Government is undertaking. It must ensure that the public hospital system stops lurching from crisis to crisis, which it has done for a long time, financially and otherwise; it must ensure that it is available, and that the public has confidence that it will deliver in its hour of need to ordinary Western Australian citizens. That will take some reorientation of funding. We have taken funding from non-core areas where funding is not essential and made sure it will be available in the essential areas of health care. It is that simple. Of course, the opportunity will always be available for people to try to extract a little short-term political advantage, but I think anyone with a commitment to and long-term interest in our state health system would do the same thing.
Mr J.A. McGINTY: That is a different proposition. The Leader of the Opposition said publicly that he would restore the cuts. We all know damned well that Derbarl Yerrigan is the one service that provides direct patient care in the mental health area that the member’s side of politics is not in favour of funding, and that it would cut the funding to that service. I agree with the observations that have been made by Professor D’Arcy Holman. I have met with him about the review of the Mental Health Act and the Criminal Law (Mentally Impaired Defendants) Act. I think everyone in this House would be wholeheartedly in agreement with the thrust of what he has said in his report. We all know the problems that exist in all these areas of health expenditure; members opposite know them as well as we do. We have had a reduction in federal funding. The federal Government has taken $110 million out of our funding for public hospitals over the next five years. It is intensely tight. The SPEAKER: Order! I call the member for Nedlands to order for the first time. Mr J.A. McGINTY: We had a critically tight state budget in any event, even before the federal cuts came into play. Demand is also dramatically increasing. Any responsible manager in this context would look at achieving a very simple thing; that is, reorientating the money that is spent in health care, regardless of whether it is spent in teaching hospitals, community based organisations in mental health or wherever, towards those core areas of activity to ensure we have a public hospital and health system in this State that we know will be there in our hour of need, and one of which we can all be proud. That is the process the Government is undertaking. It must ensure that the public hospital system stops lurching from crisis to crisis, which it has done for a long time, financially and otherwise; it must ensure that it is available, and that the public has confidence that it will deliver in its hour of need to ordinary Western Australian citizens. That will take some reorientation of funding. We have taken funding from non-core areas where funding is not essential and made sure it will be available in the essential areas of health care. It is that simple. Of course, the opportunity will always be available for people to try to extract a little short-term political advantage, but I think anyone with a commitment to and long-term interest in our state health system would do the same thing.
The SPEAKER: Order! I call the member for Nedlands to order for the first time. Mr J.A. McGINTY: We had a critically tight state budget in any event, even before the federal cuts came into play. Demand is also dramatically increasing. Any responsible manager in this context would look at achieving a very simple thing; that is, reorientating the money that is spent in health care, regardless of whether it is spent in teaching hospitals, community based organisations in mental health or wherever, towards those core areas of activity to ensure we have a public hospital and health system in this State that we know will be there in our hour of need, and one of which we can all be proud. That is the process the Government is undertaking. It must ensure that the public hospital system stops lurching from crisis to crisis, which it has done for a long time, financially and otherwise; it must ensure that it is available, and that the public has confidence that it will deliver in its hour of need to ordinary Western Australian citizens. That will take some reorientation of funding. We have taken funding from non-core areas where funding is not essential and made sure it will be available in the essential areas of health care. It is that simple. Of course, the opportunity will always be available for people to try to extract a little short-term political advantage, but I think anyone with a commitment to and long-term interest in our state health system would do the same thing.
Mr J.A. McGINTY: We had a critically tight state budget in any event, even before the federal cuts came into play. Demand is also dramatically increasing. Any responsible manager in this context would look at achieving a very simple thing; that is, reorientating the money that is spent in health care, regardless of whether it is spent in teaching hospitals, community based organisations in mental health or wherever, towards those core areas of activity to ensure we have a public hospital and health system in this State that we know will be there in our hour of need, and one of which we can all be proud. That is the process the Government is undertaking. It must ensure that the public hospital system stops lurching from crisis to crisis, which it has done for a long time, financially and otherwise; it must ensure that it is available, and that the public has confidence that it will deliver in its hour of need to ordinary Western Australian citizens. That will take some reorientation of funding. We have taken funding from non-core areas where funding is not essential and made sure it will be available in the essential areas of health care. It is that simple. Of course, the opportunity will always be available for people to try to extract a little short-term political advantage, but I think anyone with a commitment to and long-term interest in our state health system would do the same thing.
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.