By David Wroe
October 21, 2005
The AGE

VICTORIA and the Commonwealth have flagged a new era of co-operation in mental health as experts plead for an end to the politics of blame.

In the wake of this week's damning report on the state of mental health, Victorian Health Minister Bronwyn Pike and federal parliamentary secretary for health Christopher Pyne told The Age they wanted to work together to fix the system.

Report co-author Ian Hickie said Victoria was best prepared to lead the way in mental health in partnership with the federal Government.

"Bronwyn Pike is the most serious state health minister about mental health and the best informed," he said. "She has been the stand-out minister in mental health in recent times and Victoria is best placed to do a deal with the Commonwealth to fix the problems.

"There is clearly enthusiasm in Canberra for a partnership with one state and if you have to choose, Victoria is where you would go. Then you could demonstrate to everyone else how it is done."

The Not for Service report from the Mental Health Council of Australia, the Brain and Mind Research Institute and the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, found the mentally ill were suffering a "pattern of continuing neglect" and missing out on services.

Ms Pike said it was vital to find new ways to solve the problems many mentally ill people had with accessing health care.

"There is absolutely no reason why we could not work together on this. So yes, I would love to receive a phone call. It's what the community wants. In fact, it's what they demand," she said. Mr Pyne was similarly enthusiastic, saying he was "more than prepared" to discuss how best to spend new money co-operatively.

"Of all the health ministers, Bronwyn Pike is the most interested in mental health and Victoria has certainly shown more initiative and been prepared to say there is a problem that needs to be fixed than other jurisdictions that turn a blind eye.

"That's the way of the future. Co-operative federalism can work in mental health and I would be interested in hearing any suggestions the Health Minister has to make."

The Commonwealth has already announced a $69 million Youth Mental Health Foundation, which is strongly influenced by Victoria's ORYGEN youth mental health service, an internationally recognised early-intervention program.

Mr Pyne said such non-government programs were more attractive than funding state health bureaucracies. Victoria spends more of its mental health budget on such programs than any other state.

Prime Minister John Howard said he had appointed a government team to look at the recommendations in the Not for Service report.

"I am concerned," he said. "But I would like the report to be subject to some critical analysis before I wholeheartedly endorse it, and when that occurred it will certainly be a matter that I will talk to the premiers about."