Thursday, 23 March 2023

 Gabrielle WILLIAMS (Dandenong – Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Ambulance Services, Minister for Treaty and First Peoples) (14:13): Today I rise to update the house on the Andrews Labor government’s commitment to supporting families, carers and supporters of Victorians experiencing mental health challenges. There are currently more than 60,000 Victorians providing care to family and loved ones, often unpaid and so sadly often without support as well. The Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System recognised that families, carers and supporters are an undervalued part of our mental health workforce. Every day Victoria’s carers make a huge difference to the life of the person that they care for – sometimes the multiple people that they care for.

That is why we are investing $54.5 million to open eight family- and carer-led centres across the state this year. This service will be freely available to the widest definition of families, whether that be family of origin, family of choice, friends, children or kin, and it will provide integrated support and guidance, acknowledging the many cultures, backgrounds, relationships and identities that each of us hold. The centres will be co-led by families and carers in partnership with the peak body Tandem, a trusted voice for carers, families and supporters in mental health. They do incredible work. While Victorian families, carers and supporters look after their loved ones, our eight family- and carer-led centres across this great state will look after them. This is all part of our ongoing commitment to rebuilding Victoria’s mental health system, with work underway on more than 90 per cent of those royal commission recommendations, backed of course by some $6 billion, the highest of any jurisdiction in this country, and we should be very proud of that indeed. While those opposite wanted to cut funding to our mental health system, on this side of the house we will invest in Victorian families and carers and those people that they care for.