Labor Senator Deborah O’Neill warns of a ‘mental health crisis’

Labor  Senator Deborah O’Neill has accused the federal government of failing the youth of the Central Coast and the nation during a “mental health crisis” with its reliance on private health.

Senator Deborah O'Neill said the federal government has failed the people on the issue of mental health.

Labor  Senator Deborah O’Neill has accused the federal government of failing the youth of the Central Coast and the nation during a “mental health crisis” with its reliance on private health.

The assistant Opposition mental health spokeswoman said suicide rates were increasing­ across the region and it was the largest cause of death for young people aged 15-20.

“Our mental health need is profound and deep, there are so many people ... who have no private health insurance and timely treatment is something they can’t access,” she said.

“In addition to that we’ve got $141 million being withdrawn by a government that says it cares about people’s health but is taking away support.

“The problem of mental health is increasing in our community at the same time access to care is decreasing in the public sector.

Federal Labor Senator Deborah O'Neill.

“So what we’ve got is private hospitals trying to bridge some of the gap but sadly that only treats the people who have the money to pay. What we’re seeing is an ever-widening inequity in terms of not just wages but also in terms of access to health care.

“Private health is fantastic but it is inaccessible to too many people who have mental­ illnesses.”

Mrs O’Neill said the national­ mental health plan had expired in 2014 and none of the government’s three health ministers had shown “sufficient interest” or produced targets for suicide reduction­.

She said the loss of 850 apprenticeships­ since 2013 on the Central Coast alone had exacerbated the mental health issue.

“You lose your hope then you have anxiety and mental ill-health follows from that,” she said.