Wednesday, 9 February 2022
Questions without notice and ministers statements
Ministers statements: mental health funding
Ministers statements: mental health funding
Mr MERLINO (Monbulk—Minister for Education, Minister for Mental Health) (14:17): I rise today to update the house on the release of the mental health workforce strategy, a key recommendation of the mental health royal commission. It includes an immediate $41 million investment to strengthen the mental health workforce and a pathway for thousands more over the 10 years of this reform. The strategy is now underway, creating an extra 358 full-time equivalent jobs across the sector. For example, we have funded 132 extra graduates in occupational therapy, social work and psychology who have begun working as at January 2022, and they are supported by 18 new allied health clinical educator roles. This investment builds on the $228 million provided in the last two budgets to expand and support our mental health workforce against the backdrop of the landmark royal commission.
But let us make one thing very clear: none of this investment would be possible or sustainable were it not for the mental health levy, a key recommendation of the royal commission. Without the levy there are no new nurses, no social workers, no psychologists or doctors. There would be empty beds and no staff. Without the levy every single one of the 938 mental health workers funded in the last two years would be gone. The Andrews government’s position on the mental health levy is clear and unanimous, but there are alternative views. There are some who when asked, ‘… you won’t be doing the mental health levy?’, say, ‘We’re certainly not interested in that’—unequivocal. But then a parliamentary colleague subsequently denies that they will repeal the levy. Now, who is telling the truth: the Leader of the Opposition in this place or the Leader of the Opposition in the other place? They are all over the place.
Members interjecting.
The SPEAKER: Order! I warn members. The level of shouting on both sides of the chamber means that members will be withdrawn from the chamber without any further warning.