Thursday, 6 February 2020

Ministers statements: mental health reform

Mr FOLEY (Albert Park—Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Equality, Minister for Creative Industries) (11:28): I rise to update the house on the progress of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System. Everyone in this place knows, I think everyone in this state knows, we have all experienced or have watched someone that we know or love suffer from our dysfunctional at times mental health system. Every Victorian has felt the impact of our mental health system’s failings, and yet we know from the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System that those failures, sadly, cost lives, tear communities apart and destroy far too many families. That is why we established the first royal commission in this state’s long history, indeed in the country’s history, into the overall operation of our mental health system. That is why in the interim report late last year the royal commission issued nine very firm recommendations.

I am pleased to update the house that the government has wasted no time in seeking to deliver on those nine interim recommendations. The first of those was to establish an implementation office quickly and to get that as the body that will report through government to the Parliament about delivering on those commitments. Mental Health Reform Victoria began work this week. I was very pleased that the Premier appointed Ms Pam Anders as the CEO and as the chief operating adviser Dr Simon Straface from Alfred Health as the key people. There are a whole range of recommendations associated with the interim report, which that office will now get on and deliver. One of those is a dedicated levy and fund to fund the changes necessary. This government will deliver that, and I use this opportunity to urge the opposition to change their view on that matter.