STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS

Ms WITTY (Melbourne) (13:35): Mental health is not a marginal issue in Australia. More than one in five adults experience a mental health challenge in any given year, and that rate doubles for young people. This Labor government has invested $1.1 billion to expand free mental health services across the country.

We are examining how mental health services work together, identifying gaps and taking practical steps to close them. This is complex policy work requiring coordination across governments and services and informed by lived experience. Our investment is helping to expand free mental health care across Australia.

We're growing the network to 92 Medicare mental health centres. We're expanding headspace and introducing headspace Plus, including in my community, so more young people can receive support close to home. We're delivering 20 youth specialist care centres alongside a national network of 20 perinatal mental health centres for expectant and new parents.

Medicare Mental Health Check In is providing free digital and telehealth support, and we just announced an additional $82.9 million for 36 suicide prevention organisations. Together, these services must provide continuity of care so people can move between services without losing support. People deserve care that responds to their needs and continues as those needs change.

Our government is doing the long-term work to make mental health care easier to find, easier to access and better connected. That is the mental health care system we need, with support available early and continuing when people need it most.