Prime Minister Anthony Albanese displayed deep emotion while sharing the personal mental health struggles of a family friend during the launch of Labor’s $1 billion commitment to improve mental health treatment and counseling access. Albanese recounted a family friend’s niece’s severe eating disorder and her near-death experience, as well as a conversation with the parents of a young woman who tragically took her own life, underscoring the urgency of addressing mental health issues among young people. The Labor government has promised significant funding for youth care centers, Medicare mental health services, and Headspace initiatives to address complex needs outside of hospitals, such as personality disorders, eating disorders, and early psychosis. The opposition has welcomed the increased funding for Headspace but criticized the government’s approach to Medicare-backed mental health sessions, arguing it could create bottlenecks. Mental health experts, including Patrick McGorry, have praised the move, seeing it as a major achievement and a step towards addressing the dire mental health challenges faced by young Australians.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/apr/08/mental-health-funding-boost-1-billion-austrailan-election-2025-anthony-albanese