12   MENTAL HEALTH

The order of the day having been read for the resumption of the debate on the motion of Mr Dutton—That this House:

(1)    notes that:

(a)    mental illness afflicts more Australians than almost all other health disorders, only ranking behind cancer and heart disease in prevalence;

(b)   forty-five per cent of the nation’s population will experience a mental health disorder at some point in life;

(c)    younger Australians—those between 16 and 24—bear the brunt of mental illness, with prevalence of problems declining with age;

(d)   with early and targeted treatment, many people can overcome mental illness or lower the incidence of progression or relapse;

(e)    expansion of the headspace and Early Psychosis Prevention Intervention Centres (EPPIC) models could help an estimated 200,000 young Australians, and in doing so, free-up existing services for others with mental illnesses whilst alleviating pressures on public hospitals and emergency departments; and

(f)    the Government has moved to cut services in mental healthcare;

(2)    requires the Government to:

(a)    expand the number of headspace centres to a minimum of 90 nationally;

(b)   establish a national network of 20 EPPIC centres;

(c)    provide an additional 800 beds for mental health, associated with the EPPIC centres;

(d)   appropriate funds necessary to provide these critical steps to expanding mental health treatment facilities; and

(e)    immediately provide additional funds for existing headspace centres; and

(3)    sends a message to the Senate acquainting it of this resolution and requesting that it concur ( see item No. 2, Votes and Proceedings )—

Debate resumed.

Debate adjourned, and the resumption of the debate made an order of the day for the next sitting.