The Border can no longer afford to be compromised by "nagging" issues between Victoria and NSW when it comes to mental health, MP Tania Maxwell has warned.
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She told Parliament this week there were deep problems in the cross-border agreement between Victoria and NSW, including the fact that NSW has not increased its funding levels in a decade.
"There is already a stark imbalance in Victoria between the demand for and supply of mental health services and infrastructure, including insufficient resourcing for primary mental health care, and these problems are actually increasing given that the call on mental health services has continued to grow very substantially across Victoria over recent years," she said.
"Accordingly, we surely cannot let the system be further compromised by the persistence of nagging issues stemming from a cross-border agreement.
"We literally cannot afford their continuation."
The Royal Commission into Victoria's Mental Health System is underway, but a series of "community consultations" held during May did not include sessions at Wodonga or Wangaratta.
Ms Maxwell asked Mental Health Minister Martin Foley if the Royal Commission would specifically examine the cross-border mental health agreement.
A spokeswoman for the Royal Commission told The Border Mail there would be one hearing conducted in a regional area, but the location had not yet been determined.
"Cross-border issues have been canvassed through the consultations and will be further considered as part of the ongoing work of the Royal Commission," she said.
"We encourage Victorians from border areas to make a submission about their experience."
Submissions are open until July 5 and can be made at www.rcvmhs.vic.gov.au.
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