Scroll down for the Minister’s response, or click here to discover more about how we’re working for Wendouree.

Original Adjournment Matter from Juliana Addison MP to Parliament –

I direct my adjournment matter to the Minister for Mental Health, and the action I seek is for her to provide me with a briefing about how we are improving mental health services and supporting constituents with mental health conditions and their carers in my electorate of Wendouree.

Last week marked two years since Victoria’s landmark Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System handed down the final report into Victoria’s mental health system. The final report included 74 recommendations to fully transform the mental health and wellbeing system and patient care.

The royal commission’s historic report had an ambitious vision for Victoria’s mental health system, and one that I support. The royal commission’s 2021 report outlined a 10-year blueprint for Victoria’s future mental health and wellbeing services, building a system where every Victorian gets timely, tailored support they need close to home. This is particularly important for regional and rural Victorians, including those who live in my community.

Over the last four years I have met with community members who have been let down by the system, carers who feel broken after their loved ones could not access treatment and support and others who continue to fight for services for their children, their partners and their parents. I have also heard the saddest stories of what could have been done, but now it is too late.

I strongly believe that Victorians suffering from mental health issues deserve safe and compassionate care that is responsive, supportive and equitable, as do their families, carers and supporters. Further, I want to ensure that the voices of those with lived and living experience are heard and embedded in the system so that we can improve their quality of care as well as others.

I am proud to be a member of the Andrews Labor government that has invested $6 billion to fix our broken mental health system, and I look forward to the Minister for Mental Health’s response to this matter. This will give me the opportunity to report back to my community about the significant work that is taking place and how we are delivering better mental health services for all Victorians.

Response from Gabrielle Williams MP, Minister for Mental Health (11 April 2023) –

I thank the Member for Wendouree for her question about how the Andrews Labor Government is improving mental health services and supporting consumers and their families, carers and supporters in her electorate.

The Andrews Labor Government has committed to implementing all recommendations made by the landmark Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System. Following the Royal Commission’s final report, the Andrews Labor Government committed a record investment of $3.8 billion in the 2021-22 State Budget to transform the mental health and wellbeing system. This was followed by $1.3 billion in the 2022-23 State Budget.

As part of these investments, the Wendouree region will see a significant boost to mental health and wellbeing services available to the local community. This includes:

• An additional 33 acute mental health beds to be created as part of the redevelopment of Ballarat Base Hospital.
• Planning is underway for a new Emergency Department Mental Health and Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) Hub at Ballarat Base Hospital.
  • The Hub will support people presenting to the emergency department with mental health and AOD concerns to be fast tracked to specialist, dedicated care, providing them with the right support sooner and easing pressure on existing resources.
• An integrated eating disorders specialist model is being established at Ballarat Base Hospital to deliver specialist multi-disciplinary mental health care.
• A new Mental Health and Wellbeing Local will be established in Ballarat as part of the first 27 Locals to be rolled out across the State.
  • These services are a new service stream in Victoria’s mental health system and will provide an easy way to get treatment and support for Victorians aged 26 years and over who are experiencing mental health or wellbeing concerns, including people with co-occurring alcohol and drug treatment and care needs.
• Planning is underway for a new Youth Prevention and Recovery Care unit (YPARC) in Ballarat.
  • YPARCs are for young people aged 16-25 years and provide a community-based residential facilities for short-term ‘step up’ (from the community) to prevent a young person’s admission to hospital or a ‘step down’ from hospital to further assist with recovery.

The Andrews Labor Government has worked tirelessly over the past two years to start the 10-year transformation of the mental health and wellbeing system. We are proud to be building a more compassionate and responsive system that works for all Victorians, with work now underway on more than 90 per cent of the Royal Commission’s recommendations, backed in by over $6 billion of investment – the largest investment in Australia’s history.

Watch and read more of my speeches to Parliament here, including responses from ministers on how we’re working for Wendouree.

You can also view videos from Parliament, browse Hansard transcripts, learn about bills and legislation, and much more at the Parliament of Victoria’s website.