❓ Mr. Kirkup questions the allocation of mental health funding towards preventative services and its impact on hospital ramping. The Minister acknowledges the need for increased preventative spending but criticises the opposition's lack of support.
AnsweredQoN 871Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
MENTAL HEALTH — PREVENTIVE SERVICES
871. Mr Z.R.F. KIRKUP to
the Minister for Health:
(1) Can the
minister confirm that out of a budget of $1 billion, only $16 million is
allocated to preventive mental health services?
(2) Can the
minister also confirm that ultimately this lack of investment in preventive
mental health services is leading to the record levels of ambulance ramping in
our state's hospitals?
871. Mr Z.R.F. KIRKUP to
the Minister for Health:
(1) Can the
minister confirm that out of a budget of $1 billion, only $16 million is
allocated to preventive mental health services?
(2) Can the
minister also confirm that ultimately this lack of investment in preventive
mental health services is leading to the record levels of ambulance ramping in
our state's hospitals?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2)
I thank the member for the question and thank him for drawing the Parliament's
attention to the biggest investment in mental health services in this state's
history. It is an important $1 billion each year that this government will
commit to mental health services to make sure we can protect the most
vulnerable in our community. A rally was
just held outside Parliament House, put on by our friends of the Western Australian Association for Mental Health, who talked about the importance of the need to
make sure we invest in preventive mental
health services and make sure we have a good balance between community-based
support services and hospital
services. I want to acknowledge those members of Parliament who were there
today —those on my side of the chamber and the Nationals who
turned up at that rally. I did not see the member for Dawesville there! In
fact, I do not think I saw any members opposite there. On this day, when the
community mental health sector was out there with their strong statement around
making sure we have a commitment to mental health services, and making sure we
support those who are suffering from mental illness, their families and
friends, they were abandoned by those on the other side. It is not surprising
that we see the contempt within the community for those on the other side and
their complete disdain for those most vulnerable in our community.
It is true that we do not spend
enough on preventive mental health services, and it is true that we do not
spend enough on preventive health services. That is why one of the fundamental
commitments of the sustainable health review
is that we need to spend five per cent of both the health and mental health
budgets on preventive measures by 2029. It is a program that we are
committed to and that we will get on with. We will do it because we care.
Members opposite's lack of attendance at the rally today tells everyone
in the community that they do not.
I thank the member for the question and thank him for drawing the Parliament's
attention to the biggest investment in mental health services in this state's
history. It is an important $1 billion each year that this government will
commit to mental health services to make sure we can protect the most
vulnerable in our community. A rally was
just held outside Parliament House, put on by our friends of the Western Australian Association for Mental Health, who talked about the importance of the need to
make sure we invest in preventive mental
health services and make sure we have a good balance between community-based
support services and hospital
services. I want to acknowledge those members of Parliament who were there
today —those on my side of the chamber and the Nationals who
turned up at that rally. I did not see the member for Dawesville there! In
fact, I do not think I saw any members opposite there. On this day, when the
community mental health sector was out there with their strong statement around
making sure we have a commitment to mental health services, and making sure we
support those who are suffering from mental illness, their families and
friends, they were abandoned by those on the other side. It is not surprising
that we see the contempt within the community for those on the other side and
their complete disdain for those most vulnerable in our community.
It is true that we do not spend
enough on preventive mental health services, and it is true that we do not
spend enough on preventive health services. That is why one of the fundamental
commitments of the sustainable health review
is that we need to spend five per cent of both the health and mental health
budgets on preventive measures by 2029. It is a program that we are
committed to and that we will get on with. We will do it because we care.
Members opposite's lack of attendance at the rally today tells everyone
in the community that they do not.
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