While education and awareness are vital, it’s also important our government is doing their part in ensuring our community’s mental health needs are met, which includes having resources in place to help those who need it most before it’s too late.

Last Tuesday in Parliament I asked the Minister for Mental Health Tanya Davies whether she was aware of the needs of our local community in terms of mental health, particularly for children and adolescents.

It’s shocking for many to know that the Child/Adolescent Mental Health Unit at Orange covers a staggering 86 per cent of NSW, across five Local health Districts, yet it only has funding for 11 beds.

I asked Ms Davies if the government will respond to this crisis by expanding the facility and doubling the number of beds, so that children and their families can get appropriate and timely treatment when they are at their most vulnerable.

The Minister’s response focused on community-based treatment and keeping children out of hospital, skirting around the question I asked, which shows there is no intention to increase the number of beds available.

This is a blow to the many families in the community I’ve spoken to whose child is placed on a waiting list, which is stressful for everyone.

While preventative measures are important, we must also have the services available to assist the most serious, acute mental health cases, where the last and only option is hospital.

Children at risk of self-harm, suicide or suffering from serious mental illness and their families need to see this funding – there is no time for waiting lists in such dire situations.

Coincidentally, it was the day after my question to Tanya Davies that the Premier announced an additional $90 million initiative to support preventative measures when it comes to suicide, mainly in regional areas, which will include designated cafes with trained mental health workers at hand.

But there was no recognition of strategies that go beyond preventative measures – such having the actual beds available for our young and vulnerable.

I will continue to push this issue.

SINCE late July I’ve been working closely with the Orange Rail Action Group to source the required 10,000 signatures to have the Bathurst Bullet start its morning trip to Sydney from Orange.

We are also fighting for upgrades to the Western Line and early commissioning of the replacement XPT fleet.

Having a good transport system is vital for community members who need reliable transport to and from Sydney in a day.

A strong rail system is also an important part of supporting tourism, thereby ensuring the economic well-being of the region.

The response so far has been extremely positive.

The petition now has several thousand signatures, but we still need more to get this debated in parliament.

I’d encourage those who support this issue and have not yet signed the petition to stop by my office at 123 Byng Street, Orange.