The Victorian Labor Party has promised to spend $60 million rebuilding a run down youth mental health research centre in Melbourne if it wins the state election.
The funding for Orygen Youth Health in Parkville would start flowing in Labor’s first budget, with the rest of the money for the $110 million project coming from the University of Melbourne and philanthropic organisations.
Opposition Leader Daniel Andrews said the international research institute was “on the brink of falling down”, with rotting roofs and crumbling walls.
He said it was vital that researchers had the best facilities so they could give young people the best care.
“Young people and their families can’t wait any longer,” he said.
“We need to make sure that the best researchers have the best facilities and that patients and clients and their loved ones who need the life-saving and life-changing programs that are run from these old buildings get that care as soon as possible.”
Visitors ‘shocked’ by state of buildings
Orygen’s executive director Professor Patrick McGorry said international visitors were shocked when they saw the state of the buildings.
“They’re really more 19th century than 21st century and we constantly get flooded every time it rains,” he said.
“I had to evacuate my office a couple of weeks ago because of termite infestations.”
Labor said the rebuild would attract millions of dollars to Victoria in additional research funds.
Professor McGorry, who is a former Australian of the Year, said there needed to be a stronger focus on mental health spending.
“Investment in mental health, particularly in young people, is not a cost, it’s an investment,” he said.
“We want to see a much stronger Victorian mental health system across the board and that’s very important.
“Mental health is funded around 7 per cent of health budgets, it’s 13 per cent of the health burden, and there’s a lot of catching up to do in mental health.”
Professor McGorry said the University of Melbourne and Colonial Foundation had already each pledged millions towards the project and he was confident Orygen would be able to find the rest.
The centre helps up to 5,000 young people a year.
The new building would house Orygen’s research arm, the National Centre for Excellence in Youth and Mental Health and a specialist public mental health service.
Labor said the project would create 350 jobs in the construction phase and accommodate 400 staff.
It is hoped the centre will be rebuilt by 2018.