House of Assembly Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2) 52 2 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Question Time Question Time Mental Health Facilities MENTAL HEALTH FACILITIES Dr McFETRIDGE House of Assembly Morphett MENTAL HEALTH FACILITIES Dr McFETRIDGE (Morphett) (14:55): My question is to the Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse. Will the minister confirm that the number of public hospital psychiatric beds has reduced from 476 to 220 under this Labor government? The Hon. J.J. SNELLING House of Assembly Playford Minister for Health and Ageing Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Minister for Defence Industries Minister for Veterans' Affairs MENTAL HEALTH FACILITIES The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Minister for Health and Ageing, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for Defence Industries, Minister for Veterans' Affairs) (14:55): No, I won't. There has been a significant, and will be a significant, increase of about 100 beds by next year—total mental health beds in our system—and we will have invested $300 million by next year in additional mental health capacity. Recently, a national report identified that we had more mental health staff than anywhere else in the nation. We certainly have put significant resources, and have substantially increased the investment this government makes in mental health because it is such an important issue. So, no, I will not confirm—the member for Morphett is completely incorrect.