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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 07 Hansard (Wednesday, 30 June 2004) . . Page.. 3057 ..

on ignoring the community totally and its consultation process is nothing but a sham or the reason that the money for the health action plan is in last year’s budget is just an excuse because it forgot to put it in for this year’s budget. Paragraph (5) of Ms MacDonald’s motion states:

(5) notes the importance of ongoing research into suicide and self-harm prevention and management;

I think everyone would agree with that but, again, when you go to the mental health action plan and look for instances of research, there are two. Action 11 states:

Form partnerships to establish a research project that identifies and improves the management of consumers with complex needs …

That is a project to look at management; it is not research into suicide and self-harm prevention and management. There is some management there. The other one, Action 40, states:

Maintain and enhance relationships with academic institutions in relation to research and advice on the current state of knowledge in the field of mental health.

“Maintain and enhance relationships”—that does not sound like the government is really committed to carrying it out. If you go to Action 11, the interesting thing is that it is meant to commence in June 2004—that is this month. It should commence today. If you go to Action 40, you will see that it also starts in June 2004. The paucity of real research in this document again shows the lack of commitment of the government to mental health in the ACT. Paragraph (6) states:

(6) identifies that better knowledge and management of mental health is an important foundation for sound future mental health.

I think we all agree with that. It is self-explanatory. The opposition will leave paragraphs (5) and (6). I move the amendment circulated in my name. I move:

Omit paragraphs (4), (5) and (6), substitute:

“(4) notes the lack of progress the ACT Government has made in addressing mental health issues;

(5) notes the Government’s delay in releasing the Mental Health Strategic Plan;

(6) notes the Plan’s lack of tangible targets and timelines;

(7) decries the lack of funding for the Plan in this year’s Budget;

(8) notes the importance of ongoing research into suicide and self-harm prevention and management; and

(9) identifies that better knowledge and management of mental health is an important foundation for sound future mental health.”

MR SPEAKER: Do you want to speak to your amendment?

MR SMYTH: I will speak at the end.

MS TUCKER (3.56): I would like to talk about a few key factors in this equation that this motion skates over. One of the crucial consequences and compounding factors for

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