Headspace’s Chris Tanti with Border MPs Sussan Ley and Sophie Mirabella who met with the chief executive yesterday to advocate the region’s push for a centre on the Border.
FEDERAL MPs Sussan Ley and Sophie Mirabella say they are confident Albury-Wodonga is on the list to receive the next round of headspace centre funding after a meeting with the organisation’s chief executive yesterday.
The member for Indi and member for Farrer met with headspace chief executive Chris Tanti for 30 minutes in Melbourne to put forward the Border’s case.
It was enough time to leave Ms Ley and Mrs Mirabella confident the region will be funded for a headspace.
“The very strong impression that Sussan and I got was that Albury-Wodonga is on that list,” Mrs Mirabella said.
“It was an extremely encouraging meeting ... From reading clearly between the lines, that’s the impression we were left with. We’re very confident.”
The headspace board makes recommendations to federal Health Minister Mark Butler as to where centres should be established.
Ms Ley and Mrs Mirabella said the minister could prioritise locations.
The government has been rolling out announcements and Ms Ley said Albury-Wodonga should be in the mix of announcements due in the middle of next month.
The federal MPs took copies of The Border Mail’s headspace stories to show Mr Tanti and Ms Ley said he was aware of the campaign.
She said Mr Tanti recognised the need for a headspace centre in the region.
“We really wanted to speak to him face-to-face, we wanted him to understand how important this is,” Ms Ley said.
“It was certainly recognised, the overwhelming case, particularly with the catchment of people coming into Albury-Wodonga coming in to use our health services.”
Ms Mirabella said it has been a “tremendous” community effort.