Thursday, 29 May 2025

Agriculture sector mental health

Bev McARTHUR (Western Victoria) (22:01): (1691) My adjournment matter for the Minister for Health concerns the mental health of regional Victorians, particularly farmers, and the consequences of the government’s new emergency services and volunteers tax. The action I seek is a statewide survey of GPs and frontline medical staff to determine the mental health impact of growing economic stress on agricultural communities. In recent weeks mental health has been frequently mentioned in this place in sad but usually vague general terms. One of my constituents, a general practitioner in a busy diverse Warrnambool clinic, has written to me and her other Western Victoria Region representatives to explain the specific real-life consequences. She wrote:

[QUOTES AWAITING VERIFICATION]

I write with concerns regarding the health and wellbeing of our rural community, directly impacted by policy proposed and passed in Victorian Parliament recently, policy which I perceive is contributing to significant levels of distress and anticipatory anxiety of further financial hardship.

She outlines three de-identified cases from just one week of consultations: a hardworking family with three children closing a small dairy on 200 acres due to drought, now wondering how they will pay the levy on land that is not producing income; a retired CFA volunteer of 40 years, whose modest retirement income from leasing land is now under pressure from rate increases; and a family in a complex succession-planning situation in extended drought facing tens of thousands in extra levy costs without savings to draw on. These are not abstract concerns. They are personal, immediate and health related. As the GP explained:

These apprehensions generate degrees more empathy for me as a medical practitioner with origins in agriculture. I inherently understand the highs and lows of farming. I also have a strong sense of civic responsibility. I believe in each of us contributing to society, but I do not understand how some local members could possibly have supported this grossly unfair tax.

She added:

Emergency services will defend houses in an emergency. They will not defend acres of land, fencing, farming infrastructure or plantations of trees thoughtfully planted by farmers. Rural communities, like those in suburban Melbourne, should only contribute an amount proportionate to what would realistically be defended in an emergency.

Minister, as we speak, not one of this doctor’s Labor or Greens representatives has replied to her. So I ask you to act, Minister. We want this statewide survey of GPs immediately so that medical staff can determine the mental health impact of growing economic stress in agricultural communities.