Thursday, 14 August 2025

Ministers statements: mental health services

Ingrid STITT (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Ageing, Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (12:06): I rise to update the house on how the Allan Labor government continues to support the mental health and wellbeing of all Victorians. Today I will officially launch Wellbeing in Victoria: A Strategy to Promote Good Mental Health 2025–35. This is Victoria’s first 10-year plan to boost wellbeing and reduce mental distress across the community. Delivering on a key recommendation of the royal commission, the wellbeing strategy puts people at the centre, with care that is compassionate, accessible and embedded across the community. The strategy was developed in consultation with over 1000 Victorians, including community members, people with lived experience and organisations across sectors. Backed in by a series of rolling action plans, the strategy outlines our vision for wellbeing, promotion and prevention in Victoria. The first action plan builds on foundations for implementation of the strategy, with future action plans to be guided by evidence and the needs across the life of the strategy.

The strategy is all about making sure every Victorian has the opportunity to thrive, and we are incredibly proud of the investments we are already making to bolster social inclusion and wellbeing in Victoria. For example, our social inclusion action groups in Frankston, Mansfield, Benalla, Wangaratta, Latrobe, Brimbank, Geelong, Mildura, Ballarat and Whittlesea are delivering direct benefits to their communities by resourcing mental health promotion and social inclusion activities that are tailored to those diverse community needs. The Allan Labor government is committed to delivering on the vision that all Victorians have what they need for a healthier life, both now and for future generations.