Rudd Government turns its back on youth mental health services on North Coast

June 19, 2009

The Rudd Government is turning its back on youth mental health services on the North Coast with the local Headspace initiative set to close, Federal MP Luke Hartsuyker said today. Headspace, which provides mental health services for youth in Coffs Harbour, the Nambucca Valley and Bellingen shire, has been advised their funding will be slashed after June 30.

“I have made representations to Health Minister Roxon on this but have yet to receive the courtesy of a response,” Mr Hartsuyker said.  “When the previous Coalition Government committed $1.5 million to the local Headspace initiative in 2007, it represented the first major commitment to delivering mental health services for our local youth.  Now, the Rudd Government is failing to provide Headspace with enough funding to maintain that service.

 

“The irony of this decision to cut funding after June 30 is that this is the deadline that Kevin Rudd set for health services to be improved.  During the 2007 election campaign Kevin Rudd told the Australian people that the buck stopped with him on health services. He also said that if services did not improve by June 30 2009, then he would take control.  Well here we have a situation where the Rudd Government is actually walking away from vital mental health services.

 

“How can the Rudd Government fail to provide enough funding when there is an obvious demand for the service? How can the Rudd Government justify reducing the support for some of our most vulnerable young people?  The Government can not hide behind Headspace’s head office, when clearly there are not enough funds being provided to continue the service in its present form.  Today I have written to Health Minister for a second time, seeking her support and commitment to continuing the local service in the three local locations.”

 

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