Thursday, 10 September 2026

 Georgie PURCELL (Northern Victoria) (22:09): (2810) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Mental Health, and the action that I seek is for the minister to commit to delivering 500 supported housing places for young people with mental ill health. Last sitting week I met with two young lived-experience advocates to discuss the Melbourne City Mission’s Safe Homes, Strong Futures platform for the upcoming state election. One of their key asks is for the government to finally deliver on one of the recommendations from the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System to invest in supported housing places for young people experiencing mental ill health and homelessness. This would be an attempt to lessen the revolving door between emergency care and homelessness services. Too many young people have to cycle between homelessness, hospitals and crisis services for years. Two in three young people experiencing homelessness report self-harm or suicidal ideation or attempts, and half present to emergency departments. Stable housing with integrated support would enable recovery and independence, improve access to care and reduce demand on crisis systems. Equity Economics modelling found this intervention alone would generate $1.1 million in fiscal dividends per person and address potential costs of inaction of $1.8 million per person. But it is always difficult talking about initiatives like this in an economic or financial sense. Reforms like this should happen because housing places will save lives. As our state grapples with immense cost-of-living challenges and a worsening youth mental health crisis, I urge the minister to prioritise this recommendation.