Hansard debates

Dr RATNAM (Northern Metropolitan) (09:44:37) — Last week my colleague Lidia Thorpe and I met with representatives of the Australian Services Union (ASU) and Neami National, one of Victoria's leading mental health providers. The ASU in their capacity representing over 1000 mental health workers from organisations like Neami, Mind Australia, Wellways and many other —

Honourable members interjecting.

The PRESIDENT — Order! Thank you. Commentary across the chamber makes it very difficult for Hansard, for me and for those members who are interested in Dr Ratnam's contribution. From the top, Dr Ratnam, thank you.

Dr RATNAM — Thank you, President. Last week my colleague Lidia Thorpe and I met with representatives of the Australian Services Union and Neami, one of Victoria's leading mental health providers. The ASU in their capacity of representing over 1000 mental health workers from organisations like Neami, Mind, Wellways and many other community mental health providers are gravely concerned about the provision of community mental health services in Victoria following this government's decision to withdraw $75 million in community mental health funding and transfer these services to the national disability insurance scheme (NDIS).

While the concept of the NDIS is long overdue and applauded, the rollout and inadequate funding is causing serious and severe impacts across the Australian community. As a result of the state government's withdrawal from community mental health services in Victoria it is estimated that approximately half the mental health workforce will lose their current jobs and over 90 per cent of clients who usually access community mental health services will be ineligible when the transition to the NDIS is complete.

Our community mental health services are founded on a recovery model and I understand that the NDIS is not. Community mental health workers have been warning us about the impacts this is going to have on our communities, with potentially thousands of people now not being able to access community mental health services. Service models and wisdom will be lost, training and workforce capacity will be diminished and people will not be able to access the holistic recovery-based services that are so crucial to so many.

I urge the government to rethink their funding decision and fund community mental health services in Victoria before it is too late as so many lives will be fundamentally devastated without the support they need.