KATIE WOOLF, HOST: But look, we know that, well, when the cooler dry season hits, we expect our country's representatives to head north to escape the cold. And look, while I joke, it is a good opportunity to ensure that the Northern Territory features in the federal psyche. And well, for us here on 360, health has been a massive talking point this year. So, it's good timing that the Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention as well as Rural and Regional Health is currently in Darwin, and Emma McBride joins me on the line. Good morning to you, Emma.
ASSISTANT MINISTER EMMA MCBRIDE: Good to be with you, Katie.
WOOLF: Emma, you're in the Top End for a special opening out at Berry Springs this morning. What's opening?
MCBRIDE: I am delighted, Katie, to be in Berry Springs today to open the new Perinatal Mental Health Centre. Becoming a parent is an exciting time, but it can also be challenging. We know that 1 in 5 women and 1 in 10 men experience anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges in this period. And often, it's been hard to find support. That's why we're opening the new Perinatal Mental Health Centre in Berry Springs today so that parents can get that support close to home and for free backed by Medicare.
WOOLF: That's good to hear. So, who will sort of be able to attend and what kind of services will it provide?
MCBRIDE: Any new or expectant parent, a parent who might have experienced birth trauma, pregnancy loss, is experiencing depression or anxiety, can see their GP to get a referral and a mental health care plan and then will be provided free in-person or telehealth services by a trained mental health practitioner who's an expert in perinatal mental health.
WOOLF: Look, health has been one of the biggest topics for us this year, and in particular, funding for our health system around the hospital and maternity funding. With the closure of the private maternity ward, it had been promised that $10 million would be provided to support the Royal Darwin Hospital maternity ward. However, the money wasn't in the federal Budget as we'd expected. Are you able to shed any light on this for us?
MCBRIDE: It is really disappointing to hear that the provider, Healthscope, has chosen not to continue their services at the Darwin Private Hospital. And I know Luke Gosling, like any good local member, has been strongly advocating for his community following the closure. What I can confirm is that an additional $67 million will flow through to Northern Territory public hospitals in the next financial year, so just 3 weeks away. And this is on top of the record funding flowing from the new National Health Agreement, which will leave the Territory about $740 million better off over the next 5 years. And importantly, this funding gives the hospitals the flexibility to direct investment where it's most needed, including across areas like maternity services.
WOOLF: So by the sounds of it, there's not going to be an additional $10 million. There's just going to be that existing money. Because I know when we caught up with Luke Gosling about this, he said that when the MYEFO is done, whenever that happens, that we would see an extra 10. So are you able- I mean, can you just tell us yes or no?
MCBRIDE: This is an additional $67 million, Katie, that will flow through …
WOOLF: [Talks over] Of money that was already announced, yeah. But that was, we already knew that was there, and we already know that our health system is absolutely under the pump. I mean, the federal government with Tasmania, for example, certainly tried to help and provide that further funding in Tasmania when it comes to maternity services. So, again, I just want to ask, for us here in the Northern Territory, is there going to be anything specific for maternity services?
MCBRIDE: This is an additional $67 million on top of the funding through the National Health and Hospitals Reform Agreement, which will mean, importantly, that the NT Health can direct funding towards critical services, including maternity services.
WOOLF: So with that, with what Luke Gosling had said in terms of that 10 million as part of, and please, tell me if I'm saying it wrong, with the MYEFO later the year, so is that not going to be the case?
MCBRIDE: What I know is that Luke Gosling, as the Member for Solomon and as a really hard-working local member, is continuing to advocate strongly for the community. From a federal level, there is the National Hospital And Health Reform Agreement, which the Territory will be $740 million better off over the next 5 years. There's this additional $67 million that'll be flowing in the new financial year in just 3 weeks because we want to make sure that Territorians get the best health support that they can. And we'll continue working closely with NT Health, with Luke Gosling, to make sure that your local community gets the best support that they deserve.
WOOLF: So by the sounds of it, the Northern Territory Government, really, if they want to upgrade the maternity ward of the hospital at Royal Darwin Hospital, they've got to find it from that 67 million?
MCBRIDE: This is extra funding and that means, importantly, that it's flexible and they can direct the investment where it's most needed, including in services like maternity.
WOOLF: Look, under that agreement that you speak about with the 67 million, I know that when we've spoken to the Australian Medical Association of the Northern Territory, they say that it really only brings us up to a starting point and that we're $200 million behind. So they really feel as though it's not enough. And look, I don't want to sound ungrateful because, of course, we here in the Northern Territory are happy that we're getting that additional funding. But I also speak to mums pretty regularly who are really very upset. And I know that it's not the federal government or the Northern Territory Government's fault that we no longer have those private maternity services, but what we do know is that it's putting pressure on our public hospital. And the Northern Territory Health Department had done the work to try and get that additional $10 million, and now we're sort of being told, well, that money's got to be found from the funding that we've already got. So I guess you can understand why people listening this morning are probably feeling a bit frustrated.
MCBRIDE: Katie, this is, and if I can just emphasise, this $67 million is additional money that'll be flowing in the next financial year on top of a record investment where the Northern Territory Health will be $740 million better off over the next 5 years. And I want to just reassure your listeners that being here within the Territory and listening to local people, that I want to make sure that Territorians have the best care, quality care, close to home, which is why we're making record investments, including in Medicare Urgent Care Clinics. I visited the new one in Darwin yesterday and in Palmerston, to see bulk billing now has increased to nearly 90 per cent across the territory, 25 bulk billing clinics now across the territory. This is a historic investment from the Commonwealth, improving access to quality care, close to home, affordably for Territorians.
WOOLF: Yeah, look, which is good news. And I don't want to diminish that, It is good news. But at the moment, according to discussions that we've had with the AMA, the Australian Medical Association here in the Northern Territory, their head, Dr John Zorbas, has really said that we are still struggling. And that is because we've got aged care patients that are in beds at Royal Darwin Hospital, we also – the government's funding that Top End medical retrieval and remote primary care. So that is all having an impact on the health budget. And even today, the Royal Darwin Hospital's in a code yellow, as is the Palmerston Regional Hospital. So, there's a lot of pressure on our hospitals at the moment.
MCBRIDE: And this is why as the Commonwealth, who is principally responsible for primary care, to make sure that people can get care sooner so that their needs don't escalate to where they need to present to an emergency department. That's why we have made historic investments in the Top End, in the Northern Territory. And I was really pleased, when I was visiting with the member for Solomon yesterday at the Darwin Medicare Urgent Care Clinic, to know in less than 3 weeks, already 550 local people have received care for free backed by Medicare, reducing pressure on the emergency department. We know that many of the presentations to urgent – to emergency departments are semi-urgent or non-urgent. And across the country, we're seeing a reduction in those presentations to hospitals, reducing the pressure on hospital emergency departments through urgent care. So, we will continue to make this record investment in the Top End for Territorians to make sure that local people get the support that they need and that they deserve.
WOOLF: If you have just joined us, on the show with us this morning is Emma McBride. She's the Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention and for Rural and Regional Health, federally, so the Federal Assistant Minister. Now, Minister, I do want to ask you, an ABC report locally yesterday, well, a damning report revealing that the Northern Territory's only youth mental health inpatient facility was unable to uphold 16 national safety standards, posing an unmanageable risk to patients and staff. The 2024 report obtained by the ABC under Freedom of Information laws was commissioned by NT Health after 5 major critical incidents occurred in the youth inpatient program at Royal Darwin Hospital. Two years on, no recommendations have reportedly been implemented. As the Assistant Minister for Mental Health, is this a concern to hear?
MCBRIDE: Katie, I'm a former mental health worker myself. I'm a pharmacist who worked in acute inpatient units for many years. We want to make sure that all people seeking support and the staff that are supporting them get quality care and the right kind of support. This is principally a matter for NT Health as it's an inpatient program. But of course, as a Commonwealth, that's why we're making record investments into public hospitals and into mental health. We've made a more than $1.1 billion investment in mental health and wellbeing at the last election, because we know there is an increase in distress in society that disproportionately is affecting young people. That is why we're making these record investments to support people, including in the Northern Territory. And tomorrow I'll be in Katherine and visiting the headspace centre there to make sure that local young people can get the support that they need close to home when they need it.
WOOLF: Yeah it is so incredibly important that our young people are able to get that support. I mean, just in relation to that report, is there anything, like, extra that the Commonwealth can do? I know you've said that it's record investment, but is there anything more that you'd like to see happen or that you think could happen in that space?
MCBRIDE: What we are doing, and we announced this at the last election, that we're now introducing headspace Plus. We know that when headspace was first introduced, 1 in 5 young people experienced mental health distress needing additional support in any year. That's now doubled, which is why at the last election we committed to a new model of care, headspace Plus, with more services, more support and more funding. And there'll be a headspace Plus in Darwin, providing additional support for local people in the community. There'll also be a new youth specialist care service, acknowledging that young people are better supported in the community than in the public hospital system. And this headspace- with this new youth specialist care service will mean that young people experiencing early psychosis, eating disorders, borderline personality disorder, will be able to get better support in the community. So a really big investment in youth mental health in the Top End and in Darwin.
WOOLF: So, Emma, with that, I know that headspace obviously operates. I've spoken to them on a few occasions and they do an incredible job. But with that headspace Plus, is that already happening or is that something that's on the cards?
MCBRIDE: So, it is headspace Plus, so the youth models of care consultation ends this week, after which headspace Plus will be introduced in 30 locations across the country. One of those will be in Darwin to make sure that across the country, young people get additional support to meet the growing demand and their evolving health needs.
WOOLF: Well, Emma McBride, we really appreciate your time this morning. Thank you very much for joining us on the show. How are you enjoying the weather? Are you here from somewhere freezing cold?
MCBRIDE: I come from the Central Coast in New South Wales, but we had 2 sitting weeks in Canberra, so it's really wonderful to be here in Berry Springs today and in Darwin yesterday, and then heading off to Katherine tomorrow. So, thanks so much, Katie, for your time today.
WOOLF: Thank you. I really appreciate it. Emma McBride there. Thank you. She is the Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention and for Rural and Regional Health.