Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews says the Prime Minister needs to be prepared to offer states billions of dollars to reform mental health services and improve outcomes and that failing to do so will cost lives.
Following a Productivity Commission review into mental health released last year, Scott Morrison made a $2.3bn pledge in the 2021-22 budget to reform support and treatment for Australians in need, making a point that close collaboration and joint funding with states and territories would be instrumental.
According to Nine Newspapers, a joint commitment with the NSW government is expected to be announced this week that will reportedly feature a $216m contribution from the commonwealth to expand Headspace services and deliver after-care services in the state as well as improve peri-natal mental health screenings and work on a national distress intervention program pilot.
Other states and territories are yet to finalise funding deals with the commonwealth, including Victoria, because the money being offered pales in comparison to what states themselves are investing.
The Morrison government is believed to be racing to sort deals out with Victoria, Queensland, the ACT and Western Australia ahead of this week’s national cabinet meeting and over coming weeks.
But considering Victoria has committed $3.8bn to mental health over 10 years, Mr Andrews on Wednesday said he wanted Mr Morrison to be a proper partner to the state and share funding equally.
“You need to do more than put a $100 note on the table. This is not a round of drinks, this is profound reform that only comes from profound investment,” Mr Andrews said.
“The $3.8bn we have funded in forward estimates is transforming the sector as we speak, that’s what significant investment looks like. These smaller amounts spread across the whole country are not enough to change lives and save lives.”
Mr Andrews told reporters that he “was not looking for a quarrel” with the federal government, and he had spoken to the commonwealth about why the amounts of money put forward were “inadequate”.
“We welcome a partnership, but I won’t stand here and pretend the investments, these tiny fractions, is enough … because it most definitely isn’t,” Mr Andrews said.
“I won’t tell the government what to do, but we will indicate to them what we’ve done.
“If we work together, we’ll get better outcomes … I welcome 50/50, that’s what a proper partnership looks like.”
Mr Andrews went on to quote the Productxjmtzywivity Commission review, saying that the failures in Australia’s mental health system were costing the economy between $40bn-$70bn every year.
“If you want to turn that around, you need to invest billions – not hundreds of millions – every year. Every Australian is worth that,” he said.
The National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan was to include a $1.4bn investment in quality person-centred treatment and the development of mental health treatment centres for children, youths and adults.
Eight Head to Heart centres and 24 satellites were set to be established between 2021 and 2023.
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