Unions and community groups have called on the State Government for more resources for mental health at a rally on the steps of Parliament House today.
The rally, coordinated by VMIAC (Victorian Mental Illness Awareness Council),
comes on the back of a focussed campaign by the Health And Community Services
Union (HACSU) to promote mental health resources as a significant health and
social issue.
Lloyd Williams, HACSU State Secretary, spoke at the rally along with other
Carer and community representatives. He told the 500 strong crowd that mental
health resourcing needs stronger backing from the government.
One in five people will experience a mental illness in their lifetime. Mental
illness represents 20% of the illness burden and yet mental health receives less
than 10% of the health budget.
HACSU has put a detailed budget submission to government (details available
on their website www.hacsu.asn.au)
calling for an additional $80 million over two years for mental health.
The ongoing HACSU Peace of Mind Community Campaign and the 2004 HACSU Mental
Health First Campaign aim to make government understand that it cannot lose
focus on one the most significant contemporary social issues facing the
community.
