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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2008-09-25 Daily Xml
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MENTAL HEALTH WEEK

The Hon. S.W. KEY (Ashford) (15:17): Will the Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse advise what the government is doing to raise awareness of mental health issues in the community?

The Hon. J.D. LOMAX-SMITH (Adelaide—Minister for Education, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for Tourism, Minister for the City of Adelaide) (15:17): I acknowledge that the honourable member must realise that next week is Mental Health Week. This is a great opportunity for the government to promote decreased stigmatisation of those with mental illnesses, as well as supporting those invaluable staff who work within our system to produce a culture of excellence and high integrity.

About one in five Australians experience mental illness in their life. Those experiences fall into various categories. About one in 10 experience a range of anxiety disorders, with 5 per cent of Australians experiencing anxiety at such a level that it affects their capacity to operate in normal day-to-day life. About 1 per cent of Australians experience schizophrenia at some time during their life, with a range of other psychotic illnesses affecting 3 per cent of Australians; and that could include bipolar diseases, as well as drug psychoses.

Mental illness is the third highest disease burden in our community, following cancer and cardiovascular disease. As such, it is the fourth most common reason for a visit to the GP. With this level of impact in the community, the importance of being able to focus on mental illness and reduce the stigmatisation of those involved is an important role of government. One of our key events for next week will be the annual Dr Margaret Tobin Awards. These awards were established in 2004 in recognition of the work of the late Dr Tobin and the impact she had on mental health treatment in South Australia. These awards serve two purposes: recognition of excellence and motivation.

In addition to recognising Dr Tobin's contribution, the awards aim to give public recognition to and celebrate the achievements of people who work in mental health services in South Australia. Through showcasing these achievements we hope to motivate those who follow in her footsteps in improving services and treating people with these illnesses. As well as the awards, there is a whole range of events, including performances, films, exhibitions, forums and discussions taking place in a range of communities around the state. In South Australia, Mental Health Week is coordinated very ably by the Mental Health Coalition of South Australia, the peak body of community health non-government sector activities, and details of all events can be found on its website.

It is an exciting time at the moment. The South Australian government is reforming, rebuilding, redesigning and reinvesting in our mental health services. We have committed $107.9 million to mental health services and added to this will be more than $130 million in capital investment on a new 129-bed mental health and substance abuse hospital on the Glenside campus, bringing the total budget for mental health to around $250 million. This reform program will provide a new framework for a modern mental health system and allow public services and facilities to be brought into the 21st century.

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