Scott Morrison commits $48m for mental health, elective surgery to resume
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has committed $48.1 million in additional support for mental health in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, while announcing states and territories can start to resume more elective surgeries.
The national cabinet of state and territory leaders on Friday adopted the National Mental Health and Wellbeing Pandemic Response Plan, put together by Christine Morgan, chief executive of the National Mental Health Commission.
The Prime Minister announced nearly $50 million more for mental health services.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen
The Prime Minister said with the introduction of more telehealth services, more people were seeking medical consultations for mental health.
"We are now seeing the number of presentations and consultations occurring for mental health now back to levels that were being experienced pre-pandemic. Half of those being done through the telehealth mechanism," he said.
"It's an important reminder to all Australians, of course, keep COVID-safe, but don't neglect your other health conditions."
Mr Morrison also said restrictions on elective surgery would start to lift "at the pace that states set".
"That will be welcome ... to the private health industry, in particular, and the jobs that are supported throughout that sector," he said.
In the wake of the ABS figures on Thursday revealing nearly 600,000 people had lost their job, Mr Morrison acknowledged the economic impact of the virus and related shutdowns was taking a toll on mental health.
The Prime Minister added that the return of Australians to jobs was "the curve we are now working on together".
National cabinet was briefed by the heads of Treasury, the Reserve Bank and APRA, Mr Morrison said.
"We noted that our banking system has stood up well, but we must be conscious that the shock absorbers that are in our system, whether it be the banking system or, indeed, in federal supports and other supports, they have limits," he said.
He said there has been $220 billion in loan deferrals across the country, and $11.7 billion in superannuation claims, since the start of the pandemic.
More to come