Louise Miller-Frost
Boothby · Australian Labor Party · Australia
“This has been a big week in parliament and a big week for delivery by the Albanese Labor government. The Solar Saver program started—three hours of power in the middle of the day. We expanded paid parental leave to a full six months. We opened the National Environmental Protection Agency and we opened a new veteran wellbeing agency.”
“More recently, we announced that we will strengthen consumer protections for those on Support at Home by empowering the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission to be able to order refunds for overcharged services and to be able to report publicly on investigations and enforcement actions; by producing each quarter a national summary of Su…”
“The demographics are not in our favour. Next year, 90,000 additional Australians will turn 80; 15 years ago that number was 15,000. This has an impact on the service offerings we need to provide, specifically in aged care and health.”
“While we listen to those opposite try to throw blame around and cynically, desperately, try to claw back some votes, we should turn to an independent arbiter as to why the aged-care system is where it is right now.”
“The government's plan to expand and improve aged-care services in Australia will also mean an expansion of end-of-life pathway, providing dignified care to older Australians in their final months.”
“We are confronted with this reality and we are confronting the reality with a plan—a plan that will ensure that every older Australian can get affordable and timely access to the quality care they need and deserve, and a plan that will improve and expand the system to make it fit for purpose and sustainable well into the foreseeable futur…”
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“He was not one who believed in pulling up the ladder after himself, and he demonstrated that through his work and through his life. While political careers eventually conclude, bodies age and memories fade, the impact of public service lives on. It lives on in stronger institutions, fairer laws and expanded opportunities for others. It lives on in the lives of those you have impacted. Nick's legacy lives on in individuals like Dr Quach and all the patients she helps, in the SA Labor Party, forever changed by his guidance and support, and in the multicultural Australia he helped shape. Nick Bolkus understood that legacy is not measured in titles but in the difference one makes and in the lives you change. May he rest in peace.”
“Those who knew him personally speak not only of his intellect but of his loyalty and warmth. Politics can be an unforgiving profession, yet Nick forged friendships across factions and across the aisle. The capacity to disagree without disrespect is a lesson all of us in public life would do well to remember. The Nick I knew was sharp, witty and very, very softly spoken, but you always leant forward to hear what he was saying because it was always worthwhile. Nick died on Christmas Day last year after a long illness that tried his patience. My heart goes out to my dear friend Mary, to Aria, to Mikayla, to Nick and to his sister, Ana. Nick believed future generations deserve a nation more just, more prosperous and more compassionate than the one they inherited.”
“It's impossible to know how many hundreds of thousands—maybe millions—of Australians' lives have been changed for the better because of the work Nick Bolkus did in immigration, citizenship, multicultural and ethnic affairs fields. He approached legislation with rigour and seriousness, always conscious that the decisions made within these walls ripple far beyond Canberra into households, workplaces and communities across Australia. But what truly distinguished Nick Bolkus was not simply the positions he held but the principles that guided him. He believed in fairness. He believed in opportunity. He believed in multiculturalism and that diversity makes us a stronger and greater nation. He believed that government, at its best, could be a force for dignity, particularly for those whose voices were too often unheard.”
“One day she answered the phone at her home, and, to her great surprise, it was Senator Bolkus. It took a couple of years, but he performed the miracle. He managed to negotiate for her father to be released from prison and deported to Australia. At the state memorial, she showed a photograph of Nick and her father meeting for the first time, her father as a free man. Of course, she and her mother re-met the father that she couldn't remember, having not seen him for the best part of a decade and a half. Her father lived out his years in Australia, and his daughter is now changing the lives of Australians through her clinical research. She spoke of being forever grateful for the compassion and the second chance her family got in this wonderful country thanks to Senator Bolkus.”
“In this latter role he reviewed the Migration Act and the Australian Citizenship Act and established the Refugee Review Tribunal. He was instrumental in allowing thousands of Chinese students to remain in Australia after the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. Thousands of lives were changed. At Nick's state memorial service we heard from Dr Hang Quach, a professor of haematology from St Vincent's Hospital in Melbourne. She told the story of her father being sentenced to life in prison as a political prisoner in Vietnam after the war and how her mother fled in fear to Australia as a refugee with two small children. Dr Quach was aged four at the time. They didn't know if her father was dead or alive or if they would ever see him again. As a 15-year-old, she wrote to Senator Nick Bolkus.”
“Nick was intellectually sharp, politically courageous and never afraid to engage in the contest of ideas. His wife, Mary, says he was always certain of his position, and she wondered how it was that two people who were always right ended up married to each other! He understood that democracy is not a spectator sport. It requires conviction, resilience and a willingness to stand up for what you believe is right, irrespective of the cost. And Nick brought those qualities in abundance. He was a key minister in the Hawke-Keating governments: Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister Assisting the Treasurer for Prices and Minister for Administrative Services. But he's perhaps best known as having been Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs.”
“He was a reformer, a strategist, a Labor legend and, above all, a believer in the power of public service to improve lives. Nick was born in Adelaide in 1950 to migrant parents from the island of Kastellorizo in Greece, and his parents ran a greengrocer shop in Adelaide's West End. He was educated at Adelaide High School and Adelaide University—a true local. He showed his interest in politics early, fundraising and hand-delivering letters supporting Don Dunstan in 1965 and 1966 at the tender age of 15. After a brief career as a lawyer, he unsuccessfully ran for the seat of Torrens in 1975 and for federal Senate in 1977 before being elected as a federal senator for South Australia in 1980. Entering parliament at just 30 years of age, he quickly developed a reputation that would follow him throughout his career.”
“I rise today with deep sadness to acknowledge the passing of former senator the Hon. Nick Bolkus. Nick was a towering figure in South Australian public life, a formidable parliamentarian and a man whose contribution to this nation leaves a lasting imprint on the character of our country. And while his public contributions are well known, his private contributions are equally important. He was a much-loved husband to Mary and a father to Nick, Aria and Michaela. He was a colleague and mentor to many in the Labor movement across Australia, particularly SA Labor, and he was a valued friend to many. I'm lucky enough to be able to count myself as one of those. For many Australians, and particularly for those of us from South Australia, Nick Bolkus was more than a senator.”
“Many in my electorate thought the Morphett Road overpass would be impossible to engineer, given its proximity to the Sturt River and Glengowrie tram barn entrance. Challenge accepted! With a sneaky three-point turn on the tracks, the trams can go home at night. This is part of a coordinated plan to manage traffic in the growing southern suburbs of Adelaide, including the Majors Road on-off ramp, which opened a few months ago; the North-South Corridor, which is underway; and, in the future, the Greater Adelaide Freight Bypass to take trucks off Cross Road. The Albanese Labor government is delivering for the people of Boothby.”
“I'm thrilled to announce that the three tram overpasses on the Glenelg line in Boothby are complete, open and operational. This is yet another example of the Albanese Labor government and the Malinauskas state Labor government working together to achieve important infrastructure projects on time and on budget. The tram overpasses eliminate three level crossings. Boom gates were previously down for up to 20 minutes an hour, and rush hour traffic backed up for kilometres. These overpasses were promised at the 2016, 2018, and 2019 state and federal elections, but it took the election of an SA Labor government and a federal Labor government in 2022 to actually get them done. Instead of just doing our initial two bridge commitment, we got the Morphett Road overpass done at the same time.”
“And, most importantly, it places patients, not bureaucracy, at the centre of care. Parliament is often at its best when it embraces practical reforms that make everyday life easier for Australians, and this is one of those moments. Let us back our nurses and modernise our health system to ensure that every Australian can access the care they need, when they need it, where they need it, no matter where they call home. I commend the bill to the House.”
“But it is a system under pressure, where demand is rising, and so we need to continue to ensure it works to its maximum ability with all the resources, including workforce, that we can provide. This change enacts the vision of a health system where nurses practice to their full capability, patients receive timely treatment, rural communities enjoy genuine healthcare equity and hospitals are reserved for those who truly need them. This is not an abstract aspiration. It is exactly what this legislation advances. The Health Legislation Amendment (Prescribing of Pharmaceutical Benefits) Bill 2025 is measured, responsible and necessary reform. It empowers trusted professionals. It improves access to medicines. It supports rural Australians. It reduces system pressure. It strengthens Medicare.”
“Sustainability is not only about funding; it's about structure. A resilient health system distributes responsibility across a skilled, multidisciplinary workforce. It encourages collaboration rather than hierarchy. It removes unnecessary barriers that prevent professionals from delivering care. By building long-term capacity, this reform will strengthen the system for decades to come. Future governments, regardless of political persuasion, will benefit from the foundations laid today, because good health policy should never be partisan. It should be pragmatic. This is part of a broader vision. The Australian healthcare system, despite its challenges, is world class. If you are sick or injured, you wouldn't want to be anywhere else in the world.”
“In South Africa and Canada and even in all 50 states of the US, nurse practitioners can prescribe. This is not a radical change. It is a well-thought-through logical change with strong guardrails, and it continues to put patient safety and patient wellbeing at the centre of health care. The National Health Act 1953 has long underpinned the provision of pharmaceutical and medical services in Australia, but a health system built for the 1950s cannot remain frozen in time. Our population is ageing. Chronic disease is rising. Demand for care is growing faster than workforce supply. If we fail to modernise, we risk bottlenecks that hurt patients and exhaust clinicians. This bill is exactly the kind of targeted legislative update required to meet 21st century challenges, not sweeping upheaval but thoughtful adaptation.”
“These matters, however, will be determined by the minister through disallowable legislative instruments, allowing appropriate scrutiny and flexibility as clinical practice evolves. This is good legislative design. It ensures parliament establishes the framework while allowing expert guidance to shape operational detail. So let's not let hypothetical fears overshadow the very real benefits this reform will deliver. Australia has successfully expanded prescribing roles before to nurse practitioners, dentists, optometrists and midwives, always with patient safety at the forefront. And it isn't unknown overseas either. In the UK, most community health visitors have the V100 or community practitioner nurse prescriber qualification. In New Zealand, nurse practitioners have been authorised to prescribe within scope of competence since 2001.”
“The government has stated that the change promotes equitable, affordable and timely access to high-quality medicines and services consistent with the National Medicines Policy. And let's remember what the PBS represents: for generations, it has been a cornerstone of Australian health care, ensuring that life-saving medicines are accessible not only to the wealthy but to every Australian citizen. By expanding the pool of authorised prescribers, we strengthen that system rather than strain it. Access delayed is access denied, and this bill ensures access delivered sooner. As with any reform, stakeholders have raised questions, particularly about which medicines nurse prescribers may ultimately prescribe.”
“The minister's second reading remarks captured the reforms succinctly. Empowering nurses to provide safe, high-quality care directly in the community reduces the need for GP visits and long waits in overcrowded emergency departments. This is precisely the kind of structural reform our health system needs. Too often patients end up in hospital because primary care was inaccessible. Too often GPs spend valuable consultation time on straightforward prescribing tasks when their expertise could be better utilised elsewhere. Allowing trained nurses to manage appropriate prescribing frees doctors to focus on complex care, a win for efficiency and a win for the patients. This reform also aligns with Australia's longstanding commitment to affordable medicines.”
“As well as running health services across SA, including some rural and remote services, I also lived in a very small country town for a number of years, providing services into general practices scattered across remote SA. Access to timely health care can be a challenge in remote areas and can require considerable planning and travel. Consider the farmer managing a chronic condition hundreds of kilometres from a specialist or an elderly resident in a small town whose local clinic struggles to recruit doctors or the young family who cannot afford repeated travel just to renew a prescription. For these Australians this bill is not theoretical; it's transformational. It means fewer delays, fewer avoidable hospital visits and greater continuity of care within their communities.”
“By enabling suitably qualified nurses to expand their scope of practice, it will also support workforce retention issues. At a time when emergency departments are crowded and GP shortages are felt across the country, we cannot afford to leave skilled professionals underutilised. This is smart reform, the kind that improves productivity while enhancing patient care. If there is one place where this reform will make an immediate difference, it's rural and remote Australia. The government has been clear: empowering nurses to practice at full scope will provide more equitable access to treatment for people living outside our major cities.”
“And, to be clear, this reform expands access without compromising safety. Prescribing will remain contingent on appropriate education, competency and registration requirements already fundamental to safe clinical practice in Australia. In other words, this is reform with guardrails. But this legislation does not emerge in isolation. It implements recommendations from the Strengthening Medicare Taskforce and the Scope of Practice Review, reforms designed to empower health professionals and modernise primary care. Those reviews recognise what many clinicians already know: Australia cannot meet growing healthcare demand without using the full capability of our workforce. Designated nurse prescribing will help ease workforce pressures, build long-term system capacity and support sustainability across primary care.”
“This is about equity, about ensuring that where you live does not determine the quality or speed of your health care and about recognising a simple truth: when patients receive treatment earlier, outcomes improve and pressure on the system declines. Australia's nurses are among the most highly trained and respected professionals in our health system, yet, for too long, rigid regulatory settings have prevented many of them from working their full scope of practice. This bill changes that. It establishes a formal process through which eligible registered nurses may be approved as authorised prescribers with mechanisms for suspension or revocation if standards are not met. It also ensures that these prescribers are subject to oversight by the Professional Services Review, the same safeguard applied to other PBS prescribers.”
“Importantly, it makes the best possible use of our existing health workforce, which is good for patients, is good for the health workers themselves and is good for our overall health system. The purpose of healthcare reform should always be clear: better outcomes for patients. Today too many Australians struggle to access timely care. In rural and regional communities patients often travel long distances simply to obtain a prescription. In our outer suburbs families can wait days, sometimes weeks, for appointments. This bill addresses those barriers directly by enabling authorised nurse prescribers to prescribe medicines on the PBS. Patients receiving treatment from these clinicians will be able to access subsidised medicines without unnecessary delay.”
“Today I'm pleased to be able to support the Health Legislation Amendment (Prescribing of Pharmaceutical Benefits) Bill 2025. It's a practical, forward-looking reform that strengthens Medicare, supports our health workforce and improves timely access to affordable medicines for Australians no matter where they live. At its core, this bill amends the National Health Act 1953 and the Health Insurance Act 1973 to allow appropriately qualified registered nurses to prescribe certain medicines under the PBS. It's not a radical step. It is a sensible evolution of modern health care, one grounded in evidence, informed by expert review and driven by the needs of patients.”
“A doctor takes six years of university study, then an internship. A GP takes a further five years on top of that. A nurse takes an undergraduate degree of three years, and a nurse practitioner takes at least three years experience and then a master's degree on top of that. A pharmacist takes a minimum of four years of study, plus one year of an intern training program. We are not going to be solving our health workforce shortage here in the next year or two through training up additional workers here, although we absolutely need to be doing that. When I spoke to the now minister for health and ageing a couple of years ago, I was really pleased to hear about the work that was being done on scope of practice across a number of different professions in the health workforce.”
“Health services are reliant on qualified staff to run, and, unfortunately, as a country we have not been training up enough of them for decades. We also have an ageing population, and often with ageing comes an increased reliance on the health system—bodies wear out, chronic diseases develop, trips and falls become more catastrophic. So we need more of these health professionals, and we needed them yesterday. There are ethical issues about recruiting precious health worker resources from other countries; they need them as well. The alternative is that we train them up here in Australia, and we absolutely need to be doing that. But it takes time, and we needed this extra workforce yesterday. Our health system is under pressure today from increased demand and from workforce shortages.”
“For many years before I came to this place I worked in the health sector in South Australia. I ran a large number of services across northern and central Adelaide and some statewide services. Another of my roles included recruitment of overseas doctors to rural and remote South Australia, and this was partly because we don't have enough doctors in Australia and partly because many of them don't want to work in rural and remote areas. Many of these basic services—general practitioners who often also cover at the local hospital—were reliant on being able to recruit doctors, nurses, pharmacists and allied health workers from overseas who were required to spend at least a few years in rural and remote areas.”
“They don't seem to have learned from their detail-free policies at the last election, and they've reverted to a three-word slogan: cut government spending. But budgets are serious business, and spending cuts have impacts on real Australians. I challenge those opposite: give us some detail on what you actually think we should cut. Are you saying we should cut spending on infrastructure like roads? Should we cut on defence? Should it be education? Are we cutting the age pension or cost-of-living measures? You need to tell us what it is. (Time expired)”
“So is that the government funding that those opposite think we should cut? We know they don't believe in or maybe don't understand climate change and the need for energy transition, since 22 coal-fired power stations announced closure under them and they did nothing about it. Perhaps they want to cut funding for clean energy and instead spend squillions of government dollars on nuclear power plants. Perhaps they want us to get rid of the tax cut that will be coming in July this year and the one in the following July. We know they opposed our tax cuts in the last term of government, and they took a policy to reverse tax cuts and in fact increase taxes on Australians to the last election. It really is easy to say 'cut government spending' with no detail.”
“When we came to government in 2022, there was a backlog of 42,000 veterans total and permanent incapacitation claims. These claims were sitting in the department for up to 18 months or more. They had not even been allocated to a worker for assessment, and I can only assume that's their idea of saving money—by not paying veterans' TPI claims. Shame on them for targeting people who've served our country, who, as we know, often only put their claims in when they're really desperate. But, when we came to government, we were appalled at their treatment of veterans, so we fixed the problem. We allocated an extra $477 million to process the claims, and those claims, paying veterans who've served our country what they are justly entitled to, have cost an additional $8.5 billion.”
“The MYEFO showed the budget is now $233 billion better than what we inherited, and we found more than $114 billion in savings. But, if the opposition truly thinks we should be cutting government spending, perhaps they could suggest exactly where they would like those cuts. Do they want us to cut health funding? We know they've tried to undermine Medicare since it was introduced, and, at a time when we have an ageing population with increased demands on the health system, we have responded by investing in Medicare urgent care clinics, Medicare mental health clinics, 1800MEDICARE, cheaper medicines, 60-day scripts and extra funding for the hospital system in our agreement with the states. So do they want to cut funding for health? We know they neglected veterans, so maybe that's where those opposite think we should be cutting spending.”
“Let's not forget that the opposition, when they were in government, left Australia with inflation that was 6.1 per cent and rising. It's now much lower than that. They left us with higher spending, no savings and bigger deficits. And then most recently, as coalition opposition, they went to the election with a plan for bigger deficits, more debt and a plan to hike up taxes for every taxpayer to pay for nuclear reactors. We are focused on cost of living. They're focused on themselves. They oppose pretty much every cost-of-living measure to help Australians that we put forward over the last term of government, right down to voting against tax cuts for Australians. Meanwhile, we delivered two surpluses after a decade of deficits under them and paid down some of the Liberal debt we inherited from those opposite.”
“Anyway, while it may be inconvenient for an opposition desperate to politicise everything to deflect attention from their chaos and disorder, Reserve Bank Governor Bullock has in fact said that the drivers of inflation in Australia are strong domestic demand relative to supply, housing costs and market service prices, labour and non-labour pressures, temporary price movements and a tight labour market, which of course means we have low unemployment. You will note that government spending was not included in her comments, and I don't think she was just being polite. I think she knows her stuff. In fact, nor was it included in the Reserve Bank board's comments today, where the cause identified was in fact growth in private demand.”
“It's been a really interesting day. We've just heard that apparently the Reserve Bank governor was not telling the truth, because she was being polite, which frankly is a little bit patronising for a professional woman at the top of her career. During question time, we discovered that the member for Fairfax, who is now both the shadow Treasurer and the shadow Assistant Treasurer, doesn't know how interest rates are set. Perhaps he needs a better assistant.”
“A Jewish tradition asks us to remember the dead by saying their names, and I'll finish on that: Boris and Sofia Gurman; Rabbi Eli Schlanger; Dan Elkayam; 10-year-old Matilda, the youngest victim; Rabbi Yaakov Levitan; Edith Brutman; Adam Smyth; Boris Tetleroyd; Marika Pogany; Peter Meagher; Alex Kleytman; Tibor Weitzen; Reuven Morrison; Tania Tretiak. May their memories be a blessing.”
“We need to make conscious decisions about the future we want, the future we can work together to create. I want a community where we all feel safe. I want a community where we recognise that no matter our faith, our cultural background, the colour of our skin, our gender or who we choose to love, we all feel safe. I want a community where people of all faiths or of no faith can genuinely express who they are in a public space and feel safe; otherwise, hate has won. And if one of us is less safe, then we are all less safe. The future is in our hands, and we need to be intentional about what we want it to be.”
“And we saw Alexander Kleytman, a Holocaust survivor, shielding his wife with his body, even as he took the bullets that ended his life. We saw 14-year-old Chaya, who shielded two toddlers with her body and was shot in the leg. There were, no doubt, many other such stories. Of course, we saw countless surf lifesavers, police, ambulance officers and first responders responding to the injured and the deceased even while the shooting was going on. We thank them all, and we offer condolences to the families and friends of the deceased. This is one of the turning points in the life of this country. As Australians we need to think about the kind of community we want to be. We can be what we want to be, but we need to commit ourselves to making it so.”
“And communities across the country—Jewish communities and other communities—felt less safe going to bed that night. This is not the Australia we want. This is not the Australia we value. We are a friendly people. We are a diverse and welcoming people. What happened in Bondi that sunny evening is not the Australia we want; these are not Australian values. But in the midst of tragedy and devastation, in the midst of seeing the worst side of human nature, we also saw the best side. We saw Ahmed al-Ahmed, unarmed, tackle and disarm one of the gunmen despite significant injuries to himself. We saw Boris and Sofia Gurman wrestling with a gunman, trying to disarm him. They paid the ultimate price. We saw Reuven Morrison throwing a brick, the only weapon he had to hand, at one of the gunmen. He also paid the ultimate price.”
“We know that one of the heroes of this tragedy, a Muslim man, Ahmed al-Ahmed, said he was invited into the festival by a rabbi after trying to get into a few of the local cafes that were full. This scene of joy and community was interrupted by two men with hate in their hearts and guns in their hands. Scenes of families celebrating together and sharing food became scenes of tragedy. Fifteen people who went to Bondi that day—expecting to relax, celebrate and have some fun with friends and family—didn't go home that night. Fifteen lives were lost, their potential cut short, and 15 families and communities were devastated by those deaths; their lives will never be the same. A further 41 were injured and countless others traumatised by what they saw and experienced that day.”
“The afternoon of Sunday 14 December at Bondi Beach was a warm, sunny 28 degrees—perfect beach weather. For members of the Jewish community, it was also the first day of Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights. This important Jewish festival commemorates the rededication of the second temple after a revolt and, specifically, the discovery of one day's supply of oil to light the menorah: a supply that miraculously lasted instead for eight days. It is a holy day. It's the day of optimism and hope, of light over darkness. It's also a day of celebration, and the local Sydney Jewish community were celebrating it at Bondi at a festival called Chanukah by the Sea. They were reaching out to the local community, sharing their celebration and their culture.”
“My question is to the Leader of the House. As the parliamentary year draws to a close and we move towards the Christmas season, what are the different approaches to delivery that have been taken so far in the 48th Parliament?”
“We all have friends, family and colleagues—maybe even ourselves—who have been stalked by their own black dog. It's not easy, but it is possible to keep the black dog at bay. Many in our community live satisfying and productive lives, managing mental illness as a chronic disease. That's why the Albanese Labor government's groundbreaking investment in a national infrastructure of mental healthcare workforce and services is so vital. It will ensure that all Australians—no matter their age, no matter the severity of their condition, no matter their financial circumstances—are able to get the mental health support they need whenever they need it and wherever they need it. Thank you.”
“Mental health can be treated as a chronic disease, and GPs are a really important part of maintaining good mental health and preventing relapses, but only if they're affordable and only if the medications are affordable. The metaphor of 'the black dog' is often invoked when speaking of depression, one of the most common mental illnesses in our community. The black dog is a companion who is extremely difficult to shake off. It can wake you up in the morning. It disturbs your sleep at night. It literally dogs your every move, casts a shadow on every activity, drains your joy, drains your energy and makes everything a little darker, a little greyer, a little more difficult. It craves your attention during the quieter moments of your day and barks even more loudly when it thinks your attention has strayed.”
“When I worked in mental health for SA Health, we were the first to implement peer workers, and it's great to see this important skilled workforce valued appropriately. They've proven to be invaluable in providing peer support and advocacy across a range of mental health settings. Significantly, from 1 November this year, the government will expand the eligibility for bulk-billing incentives to all Medicare patients and will create an additional incentive payment for general practices that choose to fully bulk-bill, because the GP is often the first point of contact for those seeking professional advice on a mental health issue. We aim for nine out of 10 GP visits to be bulk-billed by 2030.”
“Our expansion of mental health services under Medicare will relieve the pressure on subsidised private psychologists, allowing them to work more efficiently and effectively to support those with moderate to high mental health needs. To relieve this pressure further, the government will build up our mental health workforce by funding more than 4,000 psychology scholarships, internships and training places. This will mean more psychology places at universities and more training places for mental health professionals, including for psychiatrists, psychologists and peer workers. The government will also professionalise the peer workforce, establishing a new peer workforce association and undertaking a census of all peer workers.”
“On 1 January next year, the government will launch the National Early Intervention Service, which will provide over-the-phone and online support from trained mental health professionals for those with mild to moderate mental health needs. It will be a free service. You won't need a referral. You won't have to pay a gap fee. We're expecting that this service will support around 150,000 people every year. The Albanese Labor government's historic $1.1 billion package to fund mental health services across this country reflects Labor's long-held commitment to the idea that an affordable and accessible public health service is for the benefit of all Australians and our community.”
“When completed, it will be able to accommodate 48 mental health beds, including 12 brand-new beds up in the psychiatric intensive care unit. The Albanese Labor government will also invest $500 million in 20 youth specialist care centres across the country to support young Australians with complex mental health needs, including personality disorders, eating disorders and early psychosis. This is part of the government's plan to fill what the experts have called 'the missing middle', ensuring that young Australians whose mental health issues warrant neither a GP visit nor hospitalisation can also receive specialist care.”
“Work on a perinatal health centre is currently underway in Elizabeth, in northern Adelaide, and we're expecting at least one more in Adelaide as part of Labor's 2025 election commitment. This will support the mental health and wellbeing of mothers and families during and after their pregnancies, a particularly vulnerable time. These mental health services are in addition to the other facilities currently being built in Boothby. We have a statewide eating-disorder centre which will be established at the Repat hospital in Daw Park, at the very heart of Boothby, providing round-the-clock treatment and outpatient services for those living with an eating disorder. Now close to completion, we're rebuilding and expanding the inpatient mental health service at the Margaret Tobin Centre at Flinders Medical Centre.”
“The numbers speak for themselves: 91 Medicare mental health centres, 20 perinatal mental health centres, 17 Medicare mental health kids hubs and 203 headspace services. In my electorate of Boothby, we have a very well-utilised headspace service helping young Australians between the ages of 12 and 25 navigate their mental health challenges. I visited there recently myself, and the staff do an absolutely excellent job, including one-off, walk-in visits. In December this year we will open a mental health kids hub in the Marion GP Plus centre, providing crucial early intervention support and resources for children and their families. A Medicare mental health centre will also be established in Marion, providing a free walk-in service delivered by a multidisciplinary team.”
“Hope exists in a government that is prepared to take your mental health seriously—a government that is prepared to acknowledge the fact that a mentally unhealthy Australia means a socially and economically poorer Australia, a government that is prepared to support the most health-vulnerable members of our community by making access to mental health services easier and more affordable, and a government that will continue Labor's proud legacy of ensuring that health care and mental health care is a right and not a privilege. That's why, as part of our Medicare plan, the Albanese Labor government has committed to investing an historic $1.1 billion to expand and enhance mental health services right across this country.”
“But a lack of accessible and affordable mental health services in the local community can mean a short-term episode becomes a long-term, serious, debilitating illness. Poor access to mental health services can be due to a range of issues: limited mental health workforce, continuing stigma around mental illness, a lack of collaboration across the different types of mental health services, an unequal concentration of mental health services in metropolitan areas to the detriment of regional and rural areas, and the high demand for mental health services where there is an undersupply of workers. But there is hope.”