1 00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:03,320 Speaker 1: Now a report by the Productivity Commission released this week 2 00:00:03,400 --> 00:00:06,640 Speaker 1: has found that the National Plan to Improve Mental Health 3 00:00:06,680 --> 00:00:11,000 Speaker 1: and Prevent Suicide is not fit for purpose. The Commission's 4 00:00:11,039 --> 00:00:14,400 Speaker 1: been reviewing the National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Agreement, 5 00:00:14,720 --> 00:00:18,079 Speaker 1: which outlines commitments by the Federal government and state and 6 00:00:18,200 --> 00:00:23,560 Speaker 1: territory governments to improve the mental health of Australians. Well, 7 00:00:23,600 --> 00:00:26,120 Speaker 1: it's an interim report and it revealed that the agreement 8 00:00:26,239 --> 00:00:30,200 Speaker 1: was fundamentally flawed and made no real improvements to the 9 00:00:30,240 --> 00:00:34,280 Speaker 1: mental health system since it was signed in twenty twenty two. 10 00:00:34,400 --> 00:00:37,040 Speaker 1: Now joining me on the line to tell us more 11 00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:40,040 Speaker 1: is Commissioner Selwyn Button. Good morning to you. 12 00:00:40,159 --> 00:00:43,240 Speaker 2: Selwyn, good morning, thanks for having me, Thank. 13 00:00:43,080 --> 00:00:45,680 Speaker 1: You so much for your time. Now, why is the 14 00:00:45,800 --> 00:00:47,440 Speaker 1: National Plan flawed. 15 00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:51,360 Speaker 2: So that there's some structural issues in the National Plan. 16 00:00:51,560 --> 00:00:54,120 Speaker 2: What we do have is a plan which has been 17 00:00:54,120 --> 00:00:56,920 Speaker 2: signed up by state territory governments which sets out some 18 00:00:57,000 --> 00:01:02,320 Speaker 2: lofty objectives and attached to that plan for each statement territory. Essentially, 19 00:01:02,320 --> 00:01:05,479 Speaker 2: what is bilateral which is the implementation of the initiatives 20 00:01:05,480 --> 00:01:08,319 Speaker 2: that focus on achieving the objectives. Now, the issue that 21 00:01:08,319 --> 00:01:11,640 Speaker 2: we've got with the plan and the implementation plan itselves 22 00:01:11,640 --> 00:01:15,080 Speaker 2: with the overall agreement to implementation plans, is that the 23 00:01:15,120 --> 00:01:18,319 Speaker 2: initiatives that in the implementation plans to states and territories 24 00:01:18,920 --> 00:01:21,440 Speaker 2: don't actually get to the heart of reforming the system 25 00:01:21,520 --> 00:01:23,640 Speaker 2: and don't meet those lofty objectives that have been signed 26 00:01:23,720 --> 00:01:24,400 Speaker 2: up in the agreement. 27 00:01:25,160 --> 00:01:28,320 Speaker 1: So are people getting the care that they need. 28 00:01:29,520 --> 00:01:32,200 Speaker 2: But the care is being provided. But what we do 29 00:01:32,280 --> 00:01:35,440 Speaker 2: have is a fragmented system. Because when we took about 30 00:01:35,480 --> 00:01:39,240 Speaker 2: reform and ensoying that we're improving access for rule, ensuring 31 00:01:39,240 --> 00:01:42,520 Speaker 2: that we're delivering services that meet the need, and reforming 32 00:01:42,560 --> 00:01:45,480 Speaker 2: the system to better respond to the needs of the community, 33 00:01:45,640 --> 00:01:48,520 Speaker 2: those things aren't being dealt with or we're dealing with 34 00:01:48,520 --> 00:01:51,760 Speaker 2: at the moment. Is an increase in the delivery of services, 35 00:01:52,200 --> 00:01:54,280 Speaker 2: but not getting to the heart of the real reform 36 00:01:54,280 --> 00:01:55,560 Speaker 2: that's required for the sector. 37 00:01:56,000 --> 00:01:58,040 Speaker 1: So what are some of the key areas where we 38 00:01:58,120 --> 00:01:59,360 Speaker 1: need improvement? 39 00:02:00,640 --> 00:02:02,360 Speaker 2: So what we need to do is to go back 40 00:02:02,400 --> 00:02:05,720 Speaker 2: to some really basic things. One thing in terms of 41 00:02:05,720 --> 00:02:08,440 Speaker 2: setting the foundation for what a new agreement should look 42 00:02:08,520 --> 00:02:10,720 Speaker 2: like and if we want a fundamentally reform the system 43 00:02:11,120 --> 00:02:14,400 Speaker 2: is developing a new national strategy. And the national strategy 44 00:02:14,440 --> 00:02:17,000 Speaker 2: that's actually signed up by states and territories because the 45 00:02:17,080 --> 00:02:19,760 Speaker 2: last one that was actually that was written and agreed 46 00:02:19,800 --> 00:02:22,240 Speaker 2: to by all states and territories were developed in two 47 00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:25,440 Speaker 2: thousand and eight. So it's been a long time there's 48 00:02:25,480 --> 00:02:28,680 Speaker 2: been a national strategy that's agreed by all states and territories. Well, 49 00:02:28,720 --> 00:02:30,880 Speaker 2: we're suggesting that let's go back to the drawing board, 50 00:02:31,120 --> 00:02:31,799 Speaker 2: let's start there. 51 00:02:31,960 --> 00:02:34,080 Speaker 1: Well, and I would imagine that since that time, so 52 00:02:34,240 --> 00:02:36,839 Speaker 1: much has changed in terms of, you know, the care 53 00:02:36,880 --> 00:02:39,480 Speaker 1: that's even provided and the ways in which we care 54 00:02:39,520 --> 00:02:41,320 Speaker 1: for people with mental health issues. 55 00:02:42,040 --> 00:02:48,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, certainly, and the experiences of Australians that are describing 56 00:02:48,160 --> 00:02:52,880 Speaker 2: issues relating to mental health and suicidality, those things have 57 00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:56,920 Speaker 2: changed significantly. There's been a number of things, including COVID 58 00:02:56,919 --> 00:02:59,280 Speaker 2: that's happened during that time as well, So there's been 59 00:02:59,280 --> 00:03:02,120 Speaker 2: a number of extern factors that have impacted upon the 60 00:03:02,120 --> 00:03:05,000 Speaker 2: mental health experiences of Australia. So we do need to 61 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:07,919 Speaker 2: rethink what are we actually collectively focused. 62 00:03:07,600 --> 00:03:11,320 Speaker 1: On, Commissioner. When you look at I mean obviously you know, 63 00:03:11,400 --> 00:03:16,480 Speaker 1: looking broadly nationally across you know, right around the nation, 64 00:03:17,080 --> 00:03:19,880 Speaker 1: and the ways in which we are you know, looking 65 00:03:19,919 --> 00:03:24,080 Speaker 1: after people with mental health I would imagine is quite 66 00:03:24,160 --> 00:03:26,880 Speaker 1: different then when you get to more regional and even 67 00:03:26,880 --> 00:03:29,920 Speaker 1: more rural parts of Australia. I mean we very often 68 00:03:30,040 --> 00:03:33,520 Speaker 1: here here in the Northern Territory that people struggle to 69 00:03:33,560 --> 00:03:35,640 Speaker 1: get the support that they need. 70 00:03:36,720 --> 00:03:39,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, look, an access to services is an issue right 71 00:03:39,640 --> 00:03:42,800 Speaker 2: across the board, but certainly that issue becomes more prevalent 72 00:03:42,880 --> 00:03:45,640 Speaker 2: when you look at rural and remote areas that access 73 00:03:45,680 --> 00:03:50,240 Speaker 2: to services, access to specialists like psychologists and psychiatrists, those 74 00:03:50,280 --> 00:03:53,080 Speaker 2: things in some places are as rare as tends to Yeah, 75 00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:54,960 Speaker 2: they were do need to look at some of those 76 00:03:55,000 --> 00:03:58,640 Speaker 2: workforce components. There was a workforce strategy that was developed 77 00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:02,120 Speaker 2: as part of the the National Agreements, which has been 78 00:04:02,160 --> 00:04:05,560 Speaker 2: signed off. The issue with the National Workforce Strategy that's 79 00:04:05,600 --> 00:04:07,600 Speaker 2: out there at the moment is that there was never 80 00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:10,680 Speaker 2: any funds attached to implementing the initiatives. And that's the 81 00:04:10,680 --> 00:04:13,520 Speaker 2: worst of the government. Yes, it's great to have a strategy, 82 00:04:13,560 --> 00:04:15,560 Speaker 2: but you've got to resource it so we can actually 83 00:04:15,560 --> 00:04:16,679 Speaker 2: get some tracks on the ground. 84 00:04:17,160 --> 00:04:20,480 Speaker 1: So the reality of this is that there actually needs 85 00:04:20,480 --> 00:04:24,279 Speaker 1: to be adequate funding to tackle the country's mental health crisis. 86 00:04:25,240 --> 00:04:27,720 Speaker 2: Yes, so there does need to be funds attached to 87 00:04:28,160 --> 00:04:30,840 Speaker 2: make sure that the agreement achieves success. And that's not 88 00:04:30,880 --> 00:04:33,919 Speaker 2: just funding for the initiatives. That's all the funding, the 89 00:04:33,960 --> 00:04:36,559 Speaker 2: governance arrangements and ensuring that you've got the right people 90 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:40,000 Speaker 2: sitting at the table informing new initiatives and new policy 91 00:04:40,080 --> 00:04:41,960 Speaker 2: to make sure at least we're getting things right and 92 00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:42,880 Speaker 2: reforming the system. 93 00:04:43,080 --> 00:04:49,320 Speaker 1: Yeah, So where to from here from the Productivity Commissions perspectives. 94 00:04:49,800 --> 00:04:51,920 Speaker 2: So the next steps for us into reports are now 95 00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:55,039 Speaker 2: out in the public domain. We're now we're asking for 96 00:04:55,080 --> 00:05:00,200 Speaker 2: submissions to into findings and recommendations. So that process will 97 00:05:00,279 --> 00:05:03,479 Speaker 2: will remain in place until the thirty one thirty first 98 00:05:03,480 --> 00:05:06,680 Speaker 2: of July, and then we'll go out during August. We'll 99 00:05:06,720 --> 00:05:09,320 Speaker 2: undertake some public hearings where we'll go and speak to 100 00:05:09,600 --> 00:05:12,080 Speaker 2: individuals as we've done in the past and had some 101 00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:15,920 Speaker 2: conversations directly with not only with community but also service 102 00:05:15,960 --> 00:05:19,160 Speaker 2: providers and people in living experience with a view that 103 00:05:19,200 --> 00:05:22,040 Speaker 2: will be having our report to the Treasurer in October. 104 00:05:22,520 --> 00:05:24,800 Speaker 1: So if people are keen to have these day, is 105 00:05:24,839 --> 00:05:26,840 Speaker 1: there a website or somewhere where they can go to 106 00:05:27,480 --> 00:05:28,960 Speaker 1: do so? 107 00:05:29,080 --> 00:05:31,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, so you can people can jump online now if 108 00:05:31,600 --> 00:05:34,480 Speaker 2: you go to our website, which is a pretty football one. 109 00:05:34,480 --> 00:05:37,600 Speaker 2: It's PC dot gov dot au. You'll be able to 110 00:05:37,640 --> 00:05:39,840 Speaker 2: click through the links to start to have a look 111 00:05:39,839 --> 00:05:42,400 Speaker 2: at what's happening with a mental health inquiry and certainly 112 00:05:42,400 --> 00:05:44,800 Speaker 2: put in a submission in relation to what we're recommending 113 00:05:44,839 --> 00:05:46,320 Speaker 2: at the moment we'll. 114 00:05:46,240 --> 00:05:49,760 Speaker 1: Commissioner sell one Button really appreciate your time this morning. 115 00:05:49,760 --> 00:05:52,160 Speaker 1: Thank you very much for chatting with us. 116 00:05:52,120 --> 00:05:53,240 Speaker 2: No worry, thanks for having me. 117 00:05:53,320 --> 00:05:54,320 Speaker 1: Thank you you too.