Ahead of Thursday’s state budget, South West MLC Adele Farina has questioned what has happened to Bunbury’s sub-acute mental health facility.
In the 2015-16 state budget $4.6 million to build the Bunbury mental health sub-acute unit was listed as a key project.
Ms Farina told the Mail the new minister for mental health Andrea Mitchell has recently backed away on commitments made to deliver the facility.
“Last year’s state budget clearly states that the Mental Health Commission has been provided $13 million from Royalties for Regions for [projects including] the construction of the sub-acute mental health facility in Bunbury and that the facility will open in 2017,” she said.
“Yet there is no evidence of any work being done on the project – even the sign erected to advertise the project has been taken down.”
Ms Farina said she recently asked questions about the current state of the project and was told by the minister that construction was dependent on the confirmation of funding.
The Mail contacted Mrs Mitchell to ask if funding was still committed to the project, when construction would likely start and when the facility would be open for use.
"Thirteen million dollars was allocated in the 2015/16 budget for a sub-acute centre mental health facility in Bunbury,” Mrs Mitchell said.
“The project remains a priority for the Mental Health Commission and I understand work is progressing to secure the necessary approvals."
In December 2015, the Western Australian Mental Health, Alcohol and Other Drug Services Plan 2015-2025 was announced and promised Bunbury a facility with 10 sub-acute mental health beds by 2017.
Premier Barnett said the plan was the realisation of principal recommendations made in the 2012 Stokes Review.
Ms Farina said the South West is failing to get its fair share of Royalties for Regions funding to address pressing needs in the region.
”It’s not just promised facilities that are failing to materialise in the South West, it is also services,” she said.
“Last October, the former minister for mental health announced a targeted youth mental health initiative for the Pilbara and the South West but more than six months later, the service is yet to start here.”
