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Report
The Acting Clerk, announced, pursuant to the resolution of the House of 13 March 2002, the receipt of the final report, dated December 2002.
The Acting Clerk further announced that, pursuant to the resolution, she had authorised the report to be printed.
The Hon. Dr BRIAN PEZZUTTI [10.05 a.m.], by leave: The Select Committee on Mental Health has reported and tabled its major report to the Parliament. It is the first parliamentary report since 1877, and it follows up on the Richmond report, which was tabled 20 years ago. The committee found that the Richmond report was flawed in two areas: first, it did not consider forensic patients, and second, over many years and under many governments, money was not provided to support people in the community. The report calls for increased funding from both the Commonwealth and State governments. Particular attention should be paid to the co-ordination of services. The committee strongly recommends that there be an office of mental health within the Premier's Department to ensure that that happens, and the establishment of a forensic service in New South Wales, in accordance with the recommendations of the Hon. Ron Dyer in his report on law and justice, for the co-ordination of all forensic advice to the courts, whether it be for mental health services, DNA testing or whatever.
The committee also strongly recommends that no more children be subject to adult mental health services, and that drug and alcohol services be amalgamated—as honourable members know, Richmond split them. The most important recommendation is that there be champions of mental health—the Premier and the Minister for Health—to ensure that the treatment of people with mental health, and the disability that goes with mental health and mental illness, be reduced by the provision of adequate long-term supported accommodation, and the co-ordination of many agencies.
It is a major and lengthy report—probably the longest ever report to this Parliament—because the committee received 303 submissions and heard from 91 witnesses. I urge the Treasurer or the Leader of the Opposition—whichever is in Government next year—to take serious note of this report, because people with mental illness really need our support. Right now, 20 per cent of people have a mental illness and 40 per cent of us will have a major mental illness at some stage in our life, and the associated disability needs to be addressed urgently.
In terms of mental health funding, New South Wales is the least funded State in the Commonwealth, and Australia is one of the poorest funded developed nations in the world. Something must be done fast to stop the continuum of deinstitutionalisation, homelessness and over-representation in prisons—30 per cent of the people in our prisons are there because of mental illness and for no other reason. The plight of women prisoners is particularly important. I draw the attention of honourable members to the report, which I hope they will read. I hope the recommendations will be implemented and that members who remain in this House will be champions of people with mental illness and ensure they get a fair go in New South Wales.