Statement: Crucial services in funding merry-go-round

Recent announcements from the Allan Labor Government have indicated that local provider Nexus Primary Health has been chosen to deliver a family violence project focussing on staff education, retention, and recruitment.

While family violence remains one of the most important issues to be addressed in our region, this decision comes just weeks after the same health service was forced to cut their mental health counselling program due to a lack of funding.

Mental health services are a crucial preventative measure for other major concerns, including family violence – yet this has been stripped away in favour of staff training.

This feels like a case of robbing Peter to pay Paul – with this government deciding it will only provide funding for one major issue at a time in our regional communities.

Both issues are deserving of funding for the betterment of our region and must both receive the support needed to effectively offer sustainable, long-term solutions in the mental health and family violence spheres.

This announcement reeks of being yet another one of Labor’s ad-hoc and poorly planned initiatives that will fail to bring effective change for those who need it most.