Tuesday, 22 September 2026

 Ingrid STITT (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Health, Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Ambulance Services, Special Minister of State) (00:00): There were 15 adjournment matters to various ministers, and those will be passed on for a written response in accordance with the standing orders.

I am very happy to go to Ms Crozier’s adjournment matter now. It is in relation to the number of acute mental health beds that are being delivered through the royal commission’s recommendations. Of course the interim report recommended that we deliver 170 new beds to be targeted in specific regions that needed them the most, and we have delivered those beds in full. That includes 52 beds delivered at the Sunshine Mental Health and Wellbeing Centre at Sunshine Hospital; 30 acute beds delivered at the Northern; 22 acute beds delivered at the Royal Melbourne; adult Hospital in the Home beds delivered by Barwon Health and Western Health; and youth Hospital in the Home beds delivered through the Parkville Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing Service.

In addition, there have been 35 new beds delivered at the specialist women’s service, Wren. The royal commission’s final report recommended a further 100 beds in settings that reflect optimal allocation across the state, and work is well underway in delivering that. In addition to this, we have also invested in and will be delivering 40 new forensic mental health beds at the Thomas Embling Hospital. In total we have delivered 230 beds since the royal commission handed down its final report, and there is more work underway to expand the system more broadly, taking pressure off the acute end of the system.

As part of broader hospital development, there have been additional acute mental health beds delivered or in development, including in the new Melton Hospital redevelopment, Peninsula University Hospital, the new Footscray Hospital and Shepparton hospital. In terms of subacute care, a $141 million investment has enabled us to deliver 10 youth prevention and recovery care centres across the state, which are delivering 100 beds of subacute step-up and step-down care for young people so they do not need to wait until they need an acute bed – they can get the support and the service and the care that they need in their own communities.

We have also delivered 48 dedicated mental health beds in our mental health and alcohol and other drug hubs at eight of our busiest emergency departments to ease pressure, improve safety and get consumers the specialist support they need sooner when they are presenting at emergency departments. Importantly, because we know consumers need alternative options to inpatient stays, we have substantially expanded community mental health services, and we have grown the number of hours being delivered in the community from 1.3 million hours in 2020–21, which was the year before the royal commission handed down its report, to 1.787 million hours in the 2024–25 financial year across all age groups, which is a significant uplift in the number of hours being delivered in the community.

I do not know why Ms Crozier is presenting this as a confusing situation. I am very happy to continue to engage with a number of the stakeholders, including the AMA. We had a constructive conversation and meeting, and there is a shared priority to keep going with these reforms to make sure that Victorians get the mental health care that they need in their communities.

The PRESIDENT: The house stands adjourned.

House adjourned 12:05 am (Wednesday).