The Coalition's budget forecasts a surplus that could already have been achieved if they weren't turning back time to deliver tax cuts for this financial year. If going full speed ahead to a surplus wasn't essential to this budget, why couldn't they better fund critical health issues? A strong economy is the cornerstone of the budget, but it is hard to see how this can be achieved when there are so many weak points in the health system.
Budget 2019-20 promised lower taxes, a guarantee for essential services and an investment in community. However, the slated expenditure seems to demonstrate that a PR campaign on border security is worth far more than tackling the worst social problem in the country — Indigenous youth suicide.
Almost half of Australia's child suicides have been of First Nations children, and of child suicides aged 14 years and less, nearly 90 per cent this year have been First Nations. Yet this national crisis received only $5 million of federal funding — from a total $160 million investment for Indigenous health — while $185 million was spent on reopening Christmas Island for the purpose of deterring people smugglers.
In the worst area for Indigenous youth suicide, the Kimberley, community-driven action plans worth $130,000 each will run in seven communities. In contrast, $3 million has been provided for Home Affairs to 'reinforce' the Operation Sovereign Borders communications campaign, as if the renewal of the facility wasn't already an expensive political message in itself.
Of course, expenditure on the Christmas Island facility doesn't even address the health needs raised by the passage of the Medevac bill. This life-saving legislation was delayed by the government over the Christmas period.
Since receiving royal assent this year, only one person has been transferred to mainland Australia. This is despite relentless government rhetoric that we would be 'swamped' by refugees. Only a couple of months ago independent MP Kerryn Phelps, who is the former president of the Australian Medical Association, said that of the 1000 people on Manus and Nauru, about 70 required urgent assistance and 100 would need help soon.
In total, the government has invested an additional $461 million in youth mental health and suicide prevention, but there is still a schism in funding for services for acute and chronic issues. Honor Eastly, in her podcast No Feeling is Final, described this phenomenon as 'the vast wasteland' — the gap through which people with mental illness fall