Tuesday, 15 October 2019

 Dr CUMMING (Western Metropolitan) (12:33): My question is for the Minister for Mental Health in the other place. What action is the minister taking to meet the mental health crisis within my community of Western Metropolitan Region? Mental health outcomes in Victoria are incredibly disheartening. According to the department of health, the incidence of ‘high’ and ‘very high’ psychological distress attributed to people across most of the west is the highest in the state. The areas of Hume and Brimbank recorded the highest in the state overall. While I look forward to the potential positive changes following the mental health royal commission, how is the minister addressing the immediate crisis within Western Metropolitan Region?

 Ms MIKAKOS (Northern Metropolitan—Minister for Health, Minister for Ambulance Services) (12:34): I thank the member for her advocacy on behalf of constituents in her electorate, specifically going to the issue of their mental health needs. What we know is the case and what we have heard from the mental health royal commission is, sadly, the preponderance of mental health issues in our society. This is exactly why the Premier announced that we would establish this royal commission—to get to the heart of what is causing these issues and how we can better respond to them. It is not just from an acute health response in terms of the health services that I have responsibility for and the acute mental health services that Minister Foley as the portfolio minister has responsibility for, but also looking to early intervention and prevention strategies so we can address these issues over time.

I have no doubt that there would be many of us in this chamber who know families who have lost loved ones to suicide. It is an absolute tragedy, particularly where we see young people taking their lives, as well as many others in our community. This is why I—and I am sure the member does too—have a great deal of compassion for people experiencing mental health issues in whatever way it might manifest, and for some people it manifests through drug and alcohol addiction. It is appropriate that we extend a hand of friendship and support to those individuals in their time of crisis and encourage them to seek the support they need. It troubles me greatly that there are some in this house in fact who seek to bring shame upon people who have experienced mental health issues or seek to shame individuals who have experienced drug addiction. We should always extend a hand of support and friendship to colleagues, regardless of their political persuasion, who might similarly experience these issues.

I will be seeking some further advice from the relevant minister, Minister Foley, in response to the member’s question, because whilst I can provide her with information around funding more broadly, I am sure she is very interested in the mental health support specifically for her own electorate. I will seek to provide a written response to the member directly on that issue.

 Dr CUMMING (Western Metropolitan) (12:36): I thank the minister for her response and look forward to a comprehensive one from the Minister for Mental Health. As mentioned, Brimbank and Hume are regions with the highest levels of recorded psychological distress. However, as far back as 2008 the department of health noted people from Brimbank also recorded the lowest uptake of professional help. I ask the minister: what work has been done to understand why this occurs and what response has been developed to ensure that the needs of these vulnerable members of my community are met?

 Ms MIKAKOS (Northern Metropolitan—Minister for Health, Minister for Ambulance Services) (12:37): I thank the member for her supplementary question. I will add that to the substantive question in seeking to provide the member with specific detail around the needs of her own local community, but I can provide the member with the advice that in this year’s budget there has been a $173 million boost to mental health and alcohol and other drug initiatives. I will seek to provide advice to the member through Minister Foley as the responsible minister about specific initiatives and support that benefit her constituents.