Premier Daniel Andrews promises royal commission into mental health if Labor is re-elected

AN emotional Premier Daniel Andrews has revealed how his heart sunk as he opened a letter saying a student at his child’s school had taken their life. Mr Andrews has promised a royal commission into mental health if Labor is re-elected.

PREMIER Daniel Andrews has promised a royal commission into mental health if Labor is re-elected next month.

In an Australian first, the royal commission would probe the mental health system’s failings and recommend how best to tackle suicide.

More than 620 Victorians took their own lives last year.

It was the leading cause of death for Australians aged 15 to 44.

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Incredible words here from Bob Grubb.
He didn’t know much about mental health or depression before his 15yo grandson Anthony was hit and killed by a train.
He says it creeps up on you and “gets between her ears” @theheraldsun #mentalhealth #springst pic.twitter.com/h8Yoon5HBA

— Monique Hore (@moniquehore) October 24, 2018

Mr Andrews said mental health issues plague every corner of the community — from farmers, to mums and dads, and young Victorians.

“I don’t ever expect to be able to save every life but for God’s sake we have got to do better than this,” he said.

“As it stands, we cannot honestly claim to be providing proper, timely care to all who need it.”

If Labor is re-elected on November 24, the royal commission’s terms of reference would be set within its first 100 days and would likely run for two years.

It is expected to cost $13.2 million.

The premier pledged to implement every recommendation the commission makes.

An emotional Mr Andrews revealed that students at his son and daughter’s schools had taken their own lives.

“Your heart sinks when you open that letter and it says it’s with great sadness that a student at your child’s school has died unexpectedly on the weekend,” he said.

“She’d been at a party that night, no one had any hint at all.”

Speaking at Kyneton Men’s Shed, he also detailed how his late father found solace and support in his livestock shed.

He said it was important for everyone to have a safe place to turn.

“When he died, we were able to cram just about everyone he had ever known into that big shed,” Mr Andrews said.

“That shed was his church in a lot of ways.

“It always gave him a sense of peace, a sense of control, a sense of security.”

Premier Daniel Andrews has promised Australia’s first royal commission into mental health if Labor is re-elected. Picture: Ellen Smith, AAP Image.

Bob Grubb, who Kyneton Men’s Shed is named after, didn’t know much about mental health or depression before his 15-year-old grandson, Anthony, was hit and killed by a train.

He said a feeling of hopelessness crept up on him — it “gets between your ears”, he said.

“At that stage, Grubb really spat the dummy,” he said.

“I gave everything away — I gave my job away, I didn’t want to do anything, it just killed our family.

“I didn’t realise fellas have got so may tears inside of them but I can cry now and gallons come out because of the loss.

“We just gave up, our family was in real turmoil.

“But the men’s shed came along ... I kid you not, they are the ones that got Grubb back on the planet.”

A string of mental health and social service groups have welcomed the announcement, and called for the Coalition to also support a royal commission.

Former Australian of the Year and mental health expert Proffesor Patrick McGorry welcomed the announcement.

“The Premier is the first Australian politician to acknowledge the scale of the neglect in mental health care,” he said.

“A Royal commission is the only vehicle that will deliver the redesign and investment needed. However urgent interim measures are required to save lives especially of young Victorians while the commission does its work.”

AMA Victoria president Julian Rait said the state’s mental health system had been underfunded for more than a decade.

“A serious and considered review of the mental health system is long overdue,” he said.

Victorian Council of Social Service chief executive Emma King said people with mental health issues often struggled to access help before they were acutely ill.

“Whenever you need help, you should be able to get it,” she said.

“That is one of the challenges we’ve got at the moment.

“Often our system is really disjointed and you can’t get help when you need it.”

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People seeking help for mental health issues can call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 46 36