Wednesday, 12 August 2026

 Anasina GRAY-BARBERIO (Northern Metropolitan) (14:13): (2496) My constituency question is for the Minister for Mental Health. Minister, Kids Helpline does a great job supporting young people experiencing mental health challenges, responding to 33,543 contacts from Victorian children and young people in 2025. The Victorian Labor government rejected Kids Helpline’s requests for $4.5 million in the last budget, despite one in seven children and adolescents aged four to 17 years old experiencing mental illness. Helal, a Northern Metro constituent and member of my multicultural youth advisory committee, told me:

… what the Labor Government doesn’t understand is that some kids don’t feel comfortable getting pulled out of class or being publicly exposed as the “kid who sees a therapist” at school.

The Kids Helpline allows confidentiality and 24-hour care for kids who may be sitting, unable to sleep at the darkest of hours. Minister, will you commit to fully funding Kids Helpline?