Media Release

KAP leader and Federal Member for Kennedy, Bob Katter is appalled the Federal Government has ceased funding for mental health counselling in drought affected areas.

The day after the 2016/2017 Budget was announced rural counselling service providers were notified the drought funding for mental health counselling will cease from 30 June 2016.

“While the Federal government might plan to cease the funding, the drought shows no signs of doing the same in fact it have gotten worse, and this has in turn increased the pressures on families,” said Mr Katter.

The cessation of this funding affects 14 rural and remote Councils in the electorate of Kennedy (Flinders, McKinlay, Charters Towers, Hinchinbrook, Richmond, Mareeba, Etheridge, Croydon, Carpentaria, Burke, Doomadgee, Mount Isa, Cloncurry and Boulia) and seven service providers.

These service providers are:

Mental Health Fellowship of North Queensland

Centacare North Queensland

Anglicare North Queensland

Supported Options in Lifestyle and Access (SOLAS)

Suncare Community Services

Relationships Australia Queensland

North West Remote Health.

Mr Katter has made representation to the Deputy Prime Minister, the Minister for Social Services and the Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Shadow Minister for Rural Affairs to seek assurances from the ALP and LNP to reverse the decision prior to the Federal election, if not, both parties commit to it being restored after the July 2 election.

The 2016/17 budget has allocated $7.1 million for financial counsellors for farmers in drought-affected areas but no provision has been made for mental health counselling.

The Federal Government has adopted a stop-start approach to renewing funding and giving advice around service continuity. The advice provided to service providers late last week was that the funding is formally ending and this advice is final.

“The drought continues in western Queensland and service providers’ success relies upon building trusted relationships with their clients. Trust and relationships take time to build and is not assisted by a stop-start approach by Government to service funding,” said Mr Katter.

Centacare North Queensland Director, Peter Monaghan pointed out regional areas are already underserviced and to rip this funding out now whilst the drought continues, when there are no similar alternate services, will be dire for the local communities.

“The same areas continue to have a substantial over representation of family violence and separation and most definitely suicide (recent farmer near Richmond). These areas devoid of rain and feed for cattle are now faced with the ‘dry’ season and starving cattle that do not have the condition on them to manage through the winter,” said Mr Monaghan.

Mr Katter asks common-sense to prevail with the ALP and LNP and that this funding be reinstated post the July 2 election.