Ms SPENCE (Yuroke) (19:08:22): (504) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Mental Health, and the action I seek is that the minister meet with the Yuroke Youth Advisory Council to hear about the impact of mental health on the lives of local young people and so that he can inform them as to why the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System is so important. Mental health is a topic that has been regularly brought up by the youth advisory council members and they have chosen this issue as their focus for the year. They have been investigating the types of services and facilities available in Yuroke, discussing how the school environment can often be an important part in talking about this issue as well as looking at cultural understandings around mental health given Yuroke is a very diverse community with many different cultural perspectives on the issue. Focusing on mental health this year is very timely given the mental health royal commission is now underway, and members of the Yuroke Youth Advisory Council are interested in learning more about how they can contribute to this dialogue and work toward putting together a submission for the commission. I look forward to the minister’s response and to sharing it with the advisory council members.

Response: 

I would be very pleased to accept the invitation to meet with the Yuroke Youth Advisory Council to discuss this critical topic.

I look forward to hearing from Advisory Council members about the impact of mental health on the lives of young people in their community and discussing how they can engage with the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System.

The Royal Commission represents a once in a generation opportunity to find out what parts of Victoria’s mental system are working and what parts are not. On 24 February 2019, the Victorian Government announced the Commissioners and the Terms of Reference that will guide this work.

Hearing the perspectives of young people in Victoria, including those engaged through the Yuroke Youth Advisory Council, will be critical for the Royal Commission to understand the current experience of young people in the mental health system.

Along with all other community groups across Victoria, I encourage the Yuroke Youth Advisory Council to share their experiences and suggestions with the Royal Commission. Information on how the Royal Commission is being conducted and how people can contribute to its work is available on their website https://rcvmhs.vic.gov.au/.

I also encourage all young Victorians who have a lived experience of mental illness, or know someone who does, to share their experiences and ideas directly with the Royal Commission. It is these people with lived experience of mental illness, and their loved ones, that have the greatest awareness of the strengths and weaknesses of the current system.

Thank you again for extending the invitation. The continued engagement and input of all Victorians is vital for the success of the Royal Commission.

Martin Foley MP
Minister for Mental Health