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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
2019-06-05 Daily Xml
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Mental Health Services

Mr MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Leader of the Opposition) (15:16): My question is to the Premier. Will the Premier guarantee that every person currently receiving mental health services from state government-funded programs will continue to receive the same level of service?

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (15:16): As I previously outlined to the house, funding for clients who were previously covered by state services transferring over to the NDIS will move over to the NDIS, so we will no longer be covering them. But it is our intention to provide continuing support to those people with psychosocial needs here in South Australia.

I just remind the house very clearly that, since coming into government, we have put an additional $900 million back into the health budget in South Australia. The budget and the arrangements that we inherited from those opposite were not providing for the people of South Australia, whether they be mental health patients or patients in other aspects of SA Health's jurisdiction.

We have acted swiftly to address some of the problems and deficiencies that we inherited, and mental health is an absolute priority. Again, I reiterate to this house that funding for patients previously covered by the state system, who have had approval to move to the federal system, will have that state money transferred to the federal system. There is no cut whatsoever to the budget here in South Australia.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: I understand that the opposition has been out there, and some people from the NGO sector have raised concerns about this, but that is the design—

An honourable member: The Mental Health Commission.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: There is some anxiety within the NGO sector in South Australia, and I will tell you the reason why. Because, under the previous arrangements, before the NDIS was put into place by the former Labor government here in South Australia and the former Labor government in Canberra, the reality was that that funding went to the individual organisation. But the essence of the reform, which is the NDIS, is that the money goes with the client. This will cause some organisations some anxiety because there is greater—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —discretion in the hands of those people who are living with a disability. This is a reform that was, by the way, supported right across the political spectrum, and it is one that we continue to support here in South Australia. Quite frankly, it is almost extraordinary for those opposite to now be arguing—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —against this scheme which they had been advocating for so passionately for such a long period of time.

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