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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 03 Hansard (Thursday, 11 March 2004) . . Page.. 1096 ..

June 2000, has no additions to it. I confirmed today that this is the plan that we are following for, in particular, multi-unit properties. It is certainly falling short of some of the suggestions and guidelines under allocation policy. ACT Housing policy does not adequately address the merry-go-round phenomenon. Given the state of ACT multi-unit housing, tenants with a mental illness go back into a housing environment that is detrimental to their illness, hence the merry-go-round. People are desperately trying to get out of an habitual lifestyle, only to be thrown back into it by a system that seems to be inflexible and almost intolerant of people with such illnesses.

Let’s look at some specifics. The guiding principles for national standards in mental health highlighted, among other things, the promotion of optimal quality of life for people with mental disorders and/or mental health problems; continuity of care through the development of intersectoral links between mental health services and other organisations; and a mental health system which emphasises comprehensive, co-ordinated and individualised care. I do not see much evidence of that happening with some of the tenants that I speak to and the residents who live around these people in multi-unit complexes and elsewhere. A mental health system which emphasises comprehensive, co-ordinated and individualised care is what we need to be looking for. Also highlighted were accountability to consumers, carers, staff, funders and the community; adequate resourcing of the mental health system; and equally valuing the various models and components of mental health care. With regard to housing and mental health in the ACT, where are the intersectoral linkages between housing policy and mental health objectives? Where are housing policies that promote an optimal quality of life for people with mental disorders and/or mental health problems? I am very concerned also to note in this thick document here that there is little to no mention, from my understanding, of mental health in the 2002-03 annual report of tenants, of people living in housing complexes.

There are other issues. The national action plan for promotion, prevention and early intervention for mental health 2000, put out by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care, acknowledged that health and illness is the result of an interplay between diverse factors including, and not by any means exclusive, biological, physiological, social, environmental, economic and political factors, and the importance of early intervention in mental health. It seems to me that we are not intervening in these people’s lives, we are just ignoring them. Keeping them on this revolving pattern, this revolving door, a merry-go-round, from being well to not being well, to being well to not being well, is not adequate. It is not giving mental health the priority that is been spoken about in this place. If the government is committed to mental health why is ACT housing policy at odds with mental health concerns and national health objectives? Why are ACT housing complexes so dilapidated? The territory is awash with cash, so I presume we are to look forward to some really good outcomes with the Minister for Disability, Housing and Community Services spending all his money.

Why are ACT housing complexes honey pots for crime? Why do ACT Housing complexes have serious drug problems? The Minister can shrug his shoulders and huff and puff—he is obviously closing his eyes to some very big problems out there. Why do I receive countless concerns with violence at ACT housing complexes from people who should not be within these complexes but should be within a mental health step down facility? It is not fair on these people, they are suffering and they are causing inappropriate situations for other tenants and residents. That is not acceptable. It is not

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