ASSISTANT MINISTER EMMA MCBRIDE: I am so proud to be here today for the official opening of the Tuggerah Medicare Mental Health Centre. At the last election, we committed more than $1.1 billion to bring mental health support and care into the heart of communities, more than $637 million to upgrade or introduce 32 new centres. Today Tuggerah is the first of those. What this will mean is free walk-in support and care, for anyone. Whatever their postcode, whatever their circumstances, all backed by Medicare.
And as a local who worked in mental health inpatient units for much of my working life, I saw people in distress end up in crisis simply because they couldn't get care. We know that early intervention works, that one in five adults today live with mental health struggles, and support sooner in the community for free makes such a big difference.
JOURNALIST: Wonderful, just talk us through the sort of support, professionals who will be here providing support for the Coast.
MCBRIDE: This is a multidisciplinary team of psychologists, social workers, occupational therapists, nursing, working hand in hand with people with their own experience.
People who've walked in their same shoes. And we've seen the big difference it makes having support from people with their own personal lived experience. And this model also doesn't require a referral. You don't need to pay out of pocket, it's all free and backed by Medicare, which we know makes such a big difference to local people seeking support.
JOURNALIST: Definitely, and how many of these sort of clinics operate on the coast now?
MCBRIDE: This one is now officially opened in Tuggerah today. We'll have one up in Gosford in the coming months. Part of more than 20 across New South Wales in our commitment to 92 across the country to make sure that wherever someone lives and whatever their circumstances, they'll be able to get free walk-in support or backed by Medicare.