7 Jul 2021

National MP wants Select Committee inquiry into mental health facilities spend

From Morning Report, 6:13 am on 7 July 2021

National MP Matt Doocey is pushing for the Health Select Committee to open an Inquiry into the 15 new Inpatient Mental Health Facilities and upgrade projects under development.

He's is urging his fellow select committee members to vote in favour of his motion at today's meeting. The call follows reports of overflowing facilities, in terrible condition.

Even the Health Minister Andrew Little expressed frustration at the time taken to get shovels in the ground.

The latest update from the Minister is that out of the $438 million set aside for facilities in Budget 2018 and 2019, only $24.9 million dollars has been spent.

Doocey told political reporter Charlie Dreaver that the current state of mental health inpatient facilities is unacceptable.