The 2013 Labor Budget will do little to ease the stress on country South Australians, say Australian Greens Senators Sarah Hanson Young and Penny Wright.

"Labor has spent more time listening to mining companies, the big banks and their factions than the people in rural and regional communities," Senator Hanson-Young said.

"The Greens stood up for regional South Australia during the Murray Darling Basin debate while our colleagues in the old parties and those upstream tried to sell us down the river.

A new report estimating the real costs of mental health services in Australia should be a wake-up call to the old parties, say Australian Greens spokesperson on Mental Health, Senator Penny Wright.

The report funded by Beyond Blue and Medibank said the real costs of mental health services was more than $28 billion, more than three time official government estimates.

"This is further evidence of the need for real action and real dedication from all levels of government," Senator Wright said.

Senate Community Affairs Committee
Health and Ageing Portfolio

Outcome 11 - Mental Health
Question No. E12-080

Senator WRIGHT: 

$6.1 million of funding was allocated to provide training to frontline community workers in 40 regions in Australia. Please list all regions which have received funding for training, how much funding was allocated to each region, a description of the training that was provided for each region, and how many people received training in each region.

Answer:

Senate Community Affairs Committee
Health and Ageing Portfolio

Outcome 11 - Mental Health
Question No. E12-083

Senator WRIGHT: 

Senate Community Affairs Committee
Health and Ageing Portfolio

Outcome 11 - Mental Health
Question No. E12-081

Senator WRIGHT: 

a) Could the Department give a progress report on beyondblue's men's mental health and suicide awareness campaigns, which received $9 million funding to benefit high-risk groups, including single men, fathers, older men, the unemployed, rural and Indigenous men.

Senate Community Affairs Committee
Health and Ageing Portfolio

Outcome 11 - Mental Health
Question No. E12-082

Senator WRIGHT: 

What proportion of the 1700 primary schools which received additional funding under the $19.6 million allocated to expanding the KidsMatter program are located in (i) a regional community, (ii) a rural community, and (iii) a remote community.

Answer:

Senate Community Affairs Committee
Health and Ageing Portfolio

Outcome 11 - Mental Health
Question No. E12-067

Senator WRIGHT: 

Over the past three years, what component of the total cost of the National Suicide Prevention Strategy has been directed towards specific rural or remote based suicide prevention initiatives (please provide both numerical and percentage values)?

Answer:

Australian Greens spokesperson for Mental Health Senator Penny Wright will this week visit Orange to hear from locals about how mental health services can be improved in rural, regional and remote areas.

 The visit is part of a national tour to ensure the Australian Green's mental health policies are structured by the needs of communities.

Queensland is the next stop for Australian Greens Senator Penny Wright's Australia-wide consultation about the quality of, and access to, mental health services in rural, regional and remote Australia.

Senator Wright, who is the Greens spokesperson for Mental Health, will visit Cairns, Townsville and the Sunshine Coast region over the next three days to talk to individuals and stakeholders about the challenges faced by people living in country Queensland when it comes to accessing essential mental health services.

Victoria is the next stop on Australian Greens Senator Penny Wright's Australia-wide tour to consult with people about the quality of, and access to, mental health services in rural, regional and remote Australia.

 Senator Wright, who is the Greens spokesperson for Mental Health, will visit Bendigo and the Gippsland region over the next two days to talk to individuals and stakeholders and learn more about the challenges faced by people living in country Victoria when it comes to accessing mental health services.