Wednesday, 22 June 2022

Northern Victoria Region

Mr QUILTY (Northern Victoria) (12:44): (1865) My constituency question is for the Minister for Mental Health. Some of our youngest Victorians are being denied access to mental health and psychological services due to their vaccination status. I was recently contacted by a distressed parent with a child needing to attend a clinic in Melbourne for a formal ASD diagnosis. To bypass the lengthy wait in Northern Victoria for these services, the child was referred to a metro clinic where her younger sibling had been a client prior to the pandemic. When scheduling the appointment, the mother was told that as her child was not vaccinated she could only be seen via a telehealth appointment. Her assessment, which her sister had also done prior to the pandemic, needs to be face to face. Minister, when will all children, regardless of vaccination status, be able to access psychologists and mental health practitioners in a face-to-face capacity? These services to children must be delivered face to face, whether appointments for formal diagnosis and assessment or regular appointments, for their psychological wellbeing.

Mr Ondarchie: On a point of order, Acting President, I draw your attention to standing order 8.08, which requires constituency questions to be tabled with the member asking within 14 days via the clerks. I have a question that I asked of the Minister for Police on behalf of my constituents, question 1602, 133 days ago; a question to the Attorney-General on behalf of my constituents, question 1624, 121 days ago; a question to the Minister for Roads and Road Safety on behalf of my constituents, question 1730, 78 days ago; a question to the Minister for Roads and Road Safety, question 1768, 48 days ago; and a question on behalf of my constituents to the Minister for Health, question 1771, 47 days ago. I seek from you, Acting President, a response from the minister at the table as to where these responses are.

The ACTING PRESIDENT (Mr Bourman): Thank you, Mr Ondarchie. It is a valid point of order, but I have no mechanism to follow it up.

Ms Pulford: Thank you, Mr Ondarchie, for raising those. I will follow those up with colleagues and see that we get you a timely response to those matters.