Wednesday, 28 May 2025

Police mental health services

Trung LUU (Western Metropolitan) (18:40): (1673) My adjournment matter today is for the Minister for Police regarding access to critical mental health services with the closure of two mental health and wellbeing hubs in Knox and Geelong. The action I seek is for the minister to immediately appeal to the Treasurer for the reinstatement of funding for Victoria Police to ensure the continuation of access to critical mental health facilities across the state. It was recently reported that Victoria Police will no longer have access to the promised new mental health services in Knox and Geelong and the four planned mental health and wellbeing hubs across the state due to savage budget cuts by the Allan Labor government.

As a former police officer, I know how it important it is to access a timely mental health service which includes a 24/7 staff crisis support line and a police psychology unit specialising in trauma exposure, especially when the state is in the middle of a crime crisis intensified by the watering down of the bail legislation by this Labor government and the leniency of sentencing repeat youth offenders along with the cost-of-living issues we are experiencing. These men and women, some of whom are my former colleagues, are expected by the government to tackle dangerous offenders, confront gangs and organised crime syndicates and enforce laws and legislation day in, day out. They are exposed to horrific crime scenes and pick up the pieces after some dreadful accidents. Yet this Labor government has cut the funding to support these men and women on the front line keeping Victorians safe.

This Labor government has taken away the critical mental health support to keep these men and women mentally fit and healthy so they can be healthy and carry out their duties. The government is sending them out to perform endless tasks. Crime rates are only going up under this Allan government, and the drivers of crimes are getting worse. The exposure to traumatic crime scenes and incidents that police experience are higher than ever, so the need for timely mental health and wellbeing services is critical. We have seen a massive increase in crime in our streets, and now we are rubbing salt in the wounds of victims and the men and women who keep our streets safe. The Allan Labor government is not only cutting funds to the services that support these men and women; this goes deeper than people realise. The number of police suicides is at a high, a matter of great concern I have expressed in this chamber.

It is well known that with compounded stress or repeat exposure to traumatic incidents, a lack of timely mental health service support can have a large effect on a person’s wellbeing – it can lead to depression and suicidal tendencies. In this year’s budget the Allan Labor government cut $50 million from the police budget. Policing is not a business, it is a public service. This must be rectified. I implore the minister to work with the Treasurer to have this funding reinstated, reverse the decision to close the health and wellbeing hubs in Geelong and Knox and proceed with the rollout of the four planned hubs across the state.