MATTERS OF PUBLIC IMPORTANCE: Mental Health

Senator NASH (New South Wales) (5.11 pm)—I am very pleased to be able to stand here today and talk to this MPI on mental health. I am a little perplexed by the senator putting forward this MPI on the need for the Howard government to treat mental illness as a national health priority. We do. That already happens. The government recognises this, and mental health is a designated na-tional health priority area. While I do recog-nise the senator’s interest in this particular area, it is something that this government already does. Indeed, in 1996 the state and territory governments agreed with this gov-ernment to give mental health that priority status. I would also remind the Senate that it is the state and territory governments who are responsible for the specialist public mental health services. They are responsible for the planning, delivery, management and statu-tory regulation of public mental health ser-vices. To follow on from my colleague Sena-tor Humphries: it is a bit disingenuous to try to lump all the problems we see in mental health with the Australian government. I believe we need to look at all the govern-ments and all the roles they play in this very important matter. I believe that the issue of mental health is an extremely important one. I know that my colleagues agree with me on that point. In-deed, in my first speech I referred to this issue of mental health, how important it is and particularly its impact on regional com-munities. I recognise, as do my colleagues on both sides of the chamber, that there are many people who suffer depression in this nation. As has been commented on earlier, one in five people in Australia will experi-ence depression at some point in their lives. We know that it is inescapable that we all will be touched by mental illness at some point. Around one million adults and 100,000 young people live with depression each year. Living in a regional community, I am very aware of the factors particular to a rural life-style that can contribute to depression. Issues such as isolation, difficult financial circum-stances and social difficulty contribute to depression in those areas. In spite of what those opposite have said today, this govern-ment has a real commitment to addressing the problem of mental health in this nation. We are addressing this problem. We do real-ise that it has a very serious impact on our society, on our families, on our friends and on all of our communities right across this nation. It has a devastating impact. This government is taking real and solid steps to address this very important issue. Certainly there has been a very significant increase in funding since 1996. That has been very important in terms of mental health care deliv-ery in this nation. We have seen the Austra-lian health care agreements, up to $331 million to all states and territories, to bring about further mental health reform under the National Mental Health Strategy. I think it is important to run through some of the programs that are in place that address this issue and show what a very, very high priority this is for this government. The government, of course, has a leading role, through the National Mental Health Strategy, which was endorsed by all health ministers in 1992 and reaffirmed in 1998 and 2003. Indeed, in July this year, all health ministers agreed to undertake a revision of the national mental health policy. I think it is important to point out that there are things that we can do better, but certainly we need to acknowl-edge the work that the government has done to date in addressing this very serious issue. Youth mental health is a very important area and we have seen $69 million delivered to help young people with their mental health problems. Funding was announced to assist in countering mental illness and associated drug and alcohol problems faced by young people. I think it is very important that we recognise the impact this has on young people. It is important to look at the drug and alcohol problems that are often associated with mental illness in our young people. Being a mother in a regional area, I am very aware of how important it is that we do focus on the young people in our com-munities suffering from this very serious disease. We have seen the Better Outcomes in Mental Health Care program—$263 million for education and training for GPs. Over 4,000 GPs are participating in that program, increasing their mental health skills and their knowledge. We have seen a three-step mental health process and focused psychological strategies put in place, and there is access to allied psychological services and to psychia-trist support. I think it is important that we recognise the work that is being done in all these areas. One other area I would like to just touch on is beyondblue and the additional $39 mil-lion, to 2009, that has gone in to continue the important work that started with this pro-gram in 2000. It is going to be building on its school and youth depression activities, and developing prevention programs for men, the elderly and Indigenous Australians. Another initiative which I think is particularly important is the establishment of a national preventative postnatal depression screening and follow-up program for new mothers. Again, I believe it is very important that we focus on that, particularly in our regional areas, and that we do address and rec-ognise the very real problems in that area. We are also seeing promotion, prevention and early intervention for mental health. We have also seen suicide prevention programs and, while we have seen a downward trend in the number of people dying as a result of suicide, we still need to do more work in this area and the government has been providing around $10 million a year to address this particular mental health illness issue. In summary, the government does have a plan to address mental health, in contrast to Labor who really appear to have nothing—nishta, actually. In summary, we have seen a great deal of funding by this government: Australian Health Care Agreements, the Na-tional Mental Health Strategy, youth mental health funding, the Better Outcomes in Men-tal Health— (Time expired)

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