A parliamentary committee has called for an increase and restructuring of funding after an inquiry into improving mental health outcomes in the state.
The Mental Health Select Committee's report says state government funding for mental health and alcohol and other drugs (AOD) services in Queensland is the lowest in the nation.
"Queensland's expenditure on mental health services has been lower than the national average for a decade, and in 2019‐20 was the lowest per capita expenditure on mental health services in Australia," said the report, released on Monday night.
"It is evident that to reform Queensland's mental health and AOD system, a substantial increase in investment is required."
The committee said state government funding must be boosted, and guaranteed for individual services for five years.
More public, community and affordable housing is also vital, the report said, as homelessness or lack of access to secure housing had a major impact on mental health.
"The committee notes that the relationship between social determinants of health such as housing, homelessness, mental ill‐health and problematic alcohol and other drug use is strongly interrelated, highly complex and bidirectional," the committee wrote.
Mental health and AOD services and workforces also need to be boosted in Indigenous, culturally and linguistically diverse, rural and regional, and LGBTQIA+ communities, the report said.
The committee said Queensland needs more mental health and AOD safe spaces at hospitals and in the community, potentially with extended hours of operation, to relieve pressure on emergency departments.
Better aftercare services for patients who make mental health and suicide-related presentations are needed after they are discharged.
The committee called for a 'whole of government' strategy to support Queenslanders who have experienced trauma including physical and sexual abuse, domestic and family violence and adverse childhood experiences.
Committee chair Joe Kelly said the inquiry has revealed a substantial restructure of the mental health system is needed.
"If unlimited financial resources existed to deliver services, our state would still face a major challenge delivering needed services due to workforce pressures," he wrote.
"The committee closely examined this issue and determined that it requires urgent attention and co-operation from governments at every level."
However, the committee members did not agree on how to increase funding for mental health and AOD services.
Non-government committee members were opposed to increasing the company payroll tax, as the Victorian government has done.
Greens MP Amy MacMahon said mental health funding should be boosted via new taxes on mining companies, banks and property developers.
Liberal National Party members including deputy chair Rob Molhoek, Dr Christian Rowan and Amanda Camm also opposed a payroll tax increase, accusing the government of using mental health as a "trojan horse" to raise revenue.
"Imposing a payroll tax which will be passed on to all Queenslanders is not the way to address this critical issue," they wrote.
"Our mental health, and alcohol and other drugs sector can be appropriately funded if the government chose to prioritise its funding from existing sources."
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