STATEMENTS BY SENATORS

Senator CAROL BROWN (Tasmania) (12:48): I rise to speak about two important investments in mental health care in my home state of Tasmania. The first is the new Glenorchy Medicare Mental Health Centre. This centre will provide free walk-in mental health support in the heart of Glenorchy, with no referral or appointment needed.

For people who are struggling, that is important. Asking for help with your mental health is not always easy. The last thing somebody needs at that point is another barrier in the way, whether that be cost, a long wait or simply not knowing where to turn.

The Glenorchy centre is fully funded by the Australian government, with $5.76 million being provided over six years to establish and operate the service. It will be staffed by trained mental health professionals and peer workers, including people with lived experience. People will be able to get immediate support, ongoing care and help to connect with psychologists, psychiatrists and other services, where they are needed.

The centre will also be able to support carers and families and will help connect people with other services, including housing and employment supports. That is practical help in the community for people who need it. The centre is on the main street in Glenorchy, right in the heart of the northern suburbs.

I think that's important. Mental health care should not be hidden away. Bringing these services into the community helps break down stigma and makes asking for help a normal part of looking after your health.

Medicare is about access to care. In mental health, that means making sure people can get the support they need without cost being the thing that stops them asking for help. Glenorchy will be Tasmania's fourth Medicare mental health centre.

There are already centres operating in Launceston and Devonport, with an interim service in Cooee, near Burnie, and a further full centre is planned for Brighton. Nationally, the network is expanding to 92 Medicare mental health centres. The second investment I would like to talk about is the new mental health precinct at Saint John's Park in New Town.

Work is now underway on a major new facility that will bring a number of services together in one place. The Saint John's Park facility represents a total investment of $47 million. It will include 15 mental health beds, a day program, a consulting hub, a safe haven and a recovery cottage.

It will also include a 12-bed residential eating disorder service. The Australian government has committed $10 million towards eating disorder services in Tasmania, including $7.5 million towards establishing the new residential service at Saint John's Park. This is a very important investment.

For too long, Tasmanians living with an eating disorder have not had the access to this level of residential care close to home. When the new service opens, people will be able to receive intensive specialist treatment here in Tasmania, supported by a multidisciplinary team. That means people can remain closer to their families and their support networks while they receive care.

It means another gap in Tasmania's mental health system is being filled. Construction of the Saint John's Park facility is expected to be completed in 2028. The Tasmanian government funded mental health integration hub at Saint John's Park will also be co-branded as part of the Medicare mental health centre network.

These projects are different, but they are trying to achieve the same thing—better access to mental health care in the community. We know early support matters, we know people do better when they can get the help before their distress reaches crisis point, and we know that, wherever possible, Tasmanians should be able to receive care in Tasmania, close to the people who support them.

There is always more work to do in health and particularly in mental health, but these are significant investments in services that will make a practical difference for Tasmanians. They are expanding access to Medicare mental health centres, increasing specialist eating disorder care and bringing more support into local communities. For people in Glenorchy, New Town and across southern Tasmania, these investments mean more support and more options closer to home.

Good mental health care should be available when people need it in a place they can get to without costs standing in the way. That's what these investments are helping to deliver for Tasmania. (Time expired)