3. Mental Health Services—Auditor-General's Report and Budget 2017JACINDA ARDERN (Deputy Leader—Labour) to the Prime MinisterMental Health Services—Auditor-General's Report and Budget 20173. JACINDA ARDERN (Deputy Leader—Labour) to the Prime Minister: Does he have confidence in the Minister of Health in light of the Office of the Auditor-General report on mental health; if so why?Hon STEVEN JOYCE (Minister of Finance) on behalf of the Prime Minister: Yes because he is a hard-working Minister who is dedicated to improving the quality of our health system—for example investing an extra $224 million over 4 years in mental health services including $124 million in new innovative approaches to mental health services. This is part of the extra $3.9 billion being injected over 4 years into Vote Health which will take the total health investment to a record $16.77 billion starting at the end of this month.Jacinda Ardern: Is it acceptable that after 9 years in office acute mental health patients are being discharged with no handover no plan no follow-up and no suitable place to sleep?Hon STEVEN JOYCE: I have had a chance to read the Auditor-General's report and it does point out that there are some patients who are discharged in unsatisfactory circumstances. If the member has read the report she will see there were a number of recommendations made about improving that and that the Ministry of Health has taken those recommendations up. In fact in the period after this field work was done on this particular report it has taken a number of steps which are referenced in the back of the report in a letter from the Director-General of Health to the Auditor-General.Jacinda Ardern: Does he think it is acceptable after 9 years in office that acute mental health patients are being discharged to caravan parks?Hon STEVEN JOYCE: There is no doubt from this report that there is work to be done and there often is in a range of social services in regard to any Government. But in relation to this there are three things that are going on now that the member should be aware of. One is the additional funding that I talked about in answer to the primary question. The second issue is the work that is being done by the sector the district health boards (DHB) which have got together to do the planning that the Auditor-General has recommended. Thirdly is the mental health strategy which will shortly be coming out for consultation which looks at new cross-Government services for the issues in mental health.Jacinda Ardern: Can the Prime Minister name one—just one—new mental health initiative from the $100 million of funding that was the centrepiece of the social investment package in the Budget?Hon STEVEN JOYCE: Actually I can announce a number of them and I would appreciate it if I had a little bit extra time given the member has raised the question. Firstly for example there is $4.1 million for the Ministry of Social Development to trial integrated employment and mental health services. There is $11.6 million to help the Department of Corrections better manage and support prisoners at risk of self-harm. There is $8 million in Vote Māori Development to extend the Rangatahi Suicide Prevention Fund. There is $100 million for DHBs to support local mental health and addiction services as part of their new budget spend and an additional $100 million—Mr SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] Order! The Minister must resume his seat. I have a point of order.Dr David Clark: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I do so to assist the Minister. Jacinda Arden asked about the contingency fund. Those initiatives which are smaller initiatives were announced alongside and were already known about. We are asking about the centrepiece of the social investment package. That was a very specific question.Mr SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] Order! No I listened to the question. I will go back and look at it again but it was about initiatives that are there to help with mental health. The Minister was taking the opportunity to announce more than one initiative so I think the answer is certainly sufficient on this occasion.Jacinda Ardern: I will give you a second go. Supplementary—Mr SPEAKER: Order! I appreciate you giving me a second go but I do not need one.Jacinda Ardern: What did the Minister of Health tell him the contingency fund of $100 million over 4 years in mental health would be used on when in the select committee yesterday the Director-General of Health could not answer that question?Hon STEVEN JOYCE: Well I have listed for the member a number of new initiatives. I appreciate that it does not fit her narrative and Dr Clark's narrative to be talking about the extension of the Rangatahi Suicide Prevention Fund or helping the Department of Corrections better manage and support prisoners. I appreciate that they want to play political games; we are interested in actually extending and developing mental health services.Jacinda Ardern: Is the Prime Minister telling the House that he does not know what the centrepiece of his Budget $100 million in mental health was to be used for thus telling us that it was simply a way to bat back on mental health because there is a crisis and it is a political problem?Hon STEVEN JOYCE: With respect I take offence at the suggestion that this Government is not taking mental health services seriously. The member does not want to hear about the new initiatives so she is trying to talk about the contingency fund which is currently being allocated. What I am saying to the member is that there are a range of services that are being invested in plus the contingency fund. She can play political games if she likes but actually I think this is more serious and $224 million into mental health services is a serious response to a serious issue.Jacinda Ardern: What projects are in the $100 million contingency fund for mental health?Hon STEVEN JOYCE: It is a contingency fund. The clue is in the name. They are currently being allocated. The member may want to play political games with mental health services but actually I am interested in the work that is being done to improve them including for example the extension which the Māori Party has encouraged us to endorse of the Rangatahi Suicide Prevention Fund which I think is a serious initiative; the programme in the Department of Corrections to better manage and support prisoners at risk of self-harm through mental health issues; and the work that the Ministry of Social Development is doing to trial integrated employment and mental health services. Labour may want to play—Mr SPEAKER: Order! The answer is now going on for far too long.