The House Select Committee on Mental Health and Suicide Prevention has announced the dates for its July public hearings with a range of health and allied health stakeholders. The Committee had planned to hold these hearings at various locations across the country, including Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney. Unfortunately, COVID-19 restrictions have meant these hearings will now be held via videoconference.
The Committee will hear from organisations, governments, and individuals on workforce concerns and service accessibility. The Committee will also enquire into digital models of service, affordability, and the capacity of mental health initiatives to meet the needs of at-risk communities.
Chair of the Committee, Dr Fiona Martin MP, said 'These upcoming hearings give the Committee an opportunity to explore how best to utilise the mental health workforce to ensure the safety, accessibility, equity and quality of mental health services across Australia. The public hearings enable the Committee to build upon its evidence base and understand pressing issues across the mental health and suicide prevention sectors.'
The final report of the Committee is due to be presented by 1 November 2021.
Public hearing details
Date: Monday 19 July 2021
Time: 10:30 am to 4:00 pm AEST
Date: Wednesday 21 July 2021
Time: 10:00 am to 4:30 pm AEST
Date: Monday 26 July 2021
Time: 9:30 am to 4:00 pm AEST
Date: Wednesday 28 July 2021
Time: 10:00 am to 4:00 pm AEST
Date: Thursday 29 July 2021
Time: 10:00 am to 4:00 pm AEST
The public hearing programs will be available on the Committee website. Due to the public hearings being held by videoconference, public access will be available via the live broadcast at aph.gov.au/live.
