Serious questions have been raised of the Carroll Labor Government after series of revelations that it is failing key aspects of Mental Health reform.
Among the issues to come to light this week include:
- Revelations a Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission report was altered to appear flattering to the government.
- The new Parkville Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing Service was being run by a Queensland-based CEO who had barely visited the facility which was suffering from an exodus of senior medical staff, a rise in violent incidents and widespread drug use in secure wards.
- Mental Health Minister Ingrid Stitt had failed to respond to a six-page briefing from a senior youth mental health expert outlining serious concerns.
Shadow Minister for Mental Health Emma Kealy said the pattern of sanitising reports, a remote CEO and ignoring expert warnings, pointed to a government unwilling to face scrutiny on a system Victorians are directly funding.
"Victorians pay a dedicated Mental Health and Wellbeing Levy because Labor told them every dollar was needed to rebuild a broken system. They have every right to expect complete transparency about whether that reform is actually happening," Ms Kealy said.
"Ben Carroll talks about integrity being a non-negotiable, yet he has just promoted the Minister responsible for this deceit. It raises serious doubts about his judgement and whether anything has really changed under Labor's new leadership.
The Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission was established to provide independent oversight of Victoria's mental health system.
The report, tracking implementation of Royal Commission reforms into Mental Health, was substantially rewritten, removing critical findings and almost doubling the number of recommendations assessed as progressing, according to reports in The Age this week.
"Labor can rewrite a report, but it can't rewrite the reality for Victorians who can't get the mental health care they need," Ms Kealy said.
"The Minister must explain who ordered these changes, why critical findings were removed, and what role Labor or the Department played."
Minister Ingrid Stitt avoided questions from Shadow Health Minister Georgie Crozier in Parliament on Tuesday on how often Parkville Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing Service CEO Dr Leanne Geppert had visited Melbourne since taking on the role, and whether she had replied to the briefing from Professor Pat McGorry.
Ms Kealy said the system was suffering from a lack of resources and unnecessary interference from the government.
"Independent oversight means being prepared to tell the government what it does not want to hear, rather than covering up uncomfortable findings before the public gets to see them," Ms Kealy said.
"Only a Liberal and Nationals government has a plan to get mental health reforms back on track and give Victoria the fresh start it desperately needs."
