Labor scrambles to reverse brutal funding cuts to mental health charities

Labor has sought to reverse a pre-election nightmare by restoring funding to 13 mental health charities, hours after inquiries from The Telegraph.

Funding for more than a dozen mental health charities has been restored at the eleventh hour as the Albanese government scrambles to reverse $300m in funding cuts before an election.

The Saturday Telegraph can reveal the cuts to 13 organisations — including Black Dog Institute, Karitane, Raising Children’s Network and Roses in the Ocean — were restored after questions were put to the Department of Health and Minister Mark Butler.

Funding for Headspace, SANE Australia, Reachout Australia, Mindspot Clinic, and LGBTIQ+ Health Australia was also restored to previous levels after being cut.

Health officials told parliament that the program was oversubscribed to more than $400m and had been cut to $135m, with previously hidden documents showing that either some or all funding was removed from 95 measures. 

The Telegraph can also reveal the cuts were made despite the government still waiting for the results of an independent review, ordered by Health, into the various measures and their effectiveness. 

More than 90 initiatives, many of them for mental health, had been cut.

Many of the initiatives were for mental health, including post-natal depression, nature disaster support, people who have lost loved ones to suicide, and support for young parents.

Roses in the Ocean, a charity that supports people impacted by suicide, had their funding cut despite last Thursday’s National Suicide Prevention Strategy emphasising the importance of lived experience.

Red Nose has been an iconic Australian charity for years.

The Telegraph first broke the story that child loss charity Red Nose would have to shut its support helpline after it was denied $6m funding. 

The revelations prompted a backflip from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who said the cuts were a “mistake” by the department.

On Wednesday, parliament heard that 37-year-old charity Griefline was also having its funding cut. 

That decision was also frantically reversed after questioning from Liberal Senator Hollie Hughes.

“It remains unclear where this ‘magic pudding funding’ will be appropriated from given the existing $135.2m grant has closed,” she said.

The charities were contacted at the eleventh hour with assurances of their funding being restored “shortly”.

Health Minister Mark Butler, Picture: Scott Gelston

Karitane chief executive Grainne O’Loughlin said the cuts would have been “life threatening” and see their ForWhen mental health service being wound back.

“Left alone, parents run up against waiting times, cost barriers or simply struggle to find the right clinical service for them, and sadly, this can create life-threatening risks.”

Liberal Senator Hollie Hughes said it was unclear where the government was finding the new funding for Red Nose and Griefline.

Coalition health spokesman Anne Ruston said the cuts were evidence “this government does not prioritise mental health”.

“We have already seen two backflips from the government and now the full extent of the issue has been exposed,’ she said.

“The Coalition calls on the Health Minister to conduct an audit of the important community mental health services that have been cut or had their funding reduced under this government.”

Tashani Symons with her son Rohan.

Campbelltown mum Tashani Symons said she turned to Karitane after failed attempts to directly access mental health support after having her son Rohan, now 20 months.

“I ended up talking with Karitane after a blue book appointment with a nurse,” she said.

“(Karitane) has changed the days I have with my son … I think my story would be very different if I hadn’t given them a try.”

Mr Butler said the cuts were done at “arm’s length from the government and was independently assessment by officials”.

“These organisations do really important work and we want to make sure that they can have certainty to continue with their programs.”

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