Elise Archer MP

It is a privilege to officially open this special forum on not just surviving, but thriving in the culturally diverse landscape that is Tasmania.

Over sixty years ago, in 1948 – ironically at the same time that many of our post-war migrants were arriving in this State – the World Health Organisations declared that health was a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing; that it was not merely the absence of disease that signified good health.

Sixty years later, I think the importance of good mental health and wellbeing is well understood and accepted.

Yet, there is still some stigma associated with severe mental illness in our community that needs to be addressed.

But overall we have come a long way.

And so too has our understandings about the unique and special needs of our culturally diverse communities.

The Migrant Resource Centre has worked very hard on behalf of these communities in building strong networks to support and improve mental health services for CALD communities.

Those linkages are not only vital in gaining access to mental health services, and keeping people well, but in educating service providers about the long-term psychological impacts of survivors from torture and trauma affecting so many migrants, particularly refugees fleeing from harsh and inhumane conditions.

I appreciate that there are now very real concerns about what the forecast cuts to mental health services in Tasmania will mean to the excellent networks that have been built in this State to ensure those impacts are not just understood but are supported with the appropriate services.

This is even more important with the Pontville detention centre opening in just a few weeks’ time.

We know that the mental health needs of people held in detention are significant – a study in the US found 77% of detainees at one centre had clinically significant symptoms of anxiety, 86% had depression and 50% had post traumatic stress disorder.

Just yesterday the Australian newspaper raised what I believe are legitimate concerns - that the siting of the detention centre, next door to, and within earshot of, a rifle range, could cause serious risk to the detainees’ mental health, given they have escaped from war-ravaged countries, including Afghanistan.

Whilst I understand the Phoenix Centre will be providing trauma counseling to asylum seekers, what does concern me is whether women and children housed in community detention in the greater Hobart community, will be able to get other mental health care they need given the current gaps in services, the long waiting lists that already exist and the cuts to all support on the horizon.

And conversely, how will this impact on other mental health users – our CALD communities who need this access, and other Tasmanian adults and children?

So in many respects, this forum is a very timely one.

It is very important to work together to find models of care that work for our migrant and refugee populations, and it’s pretty clear that a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach is not the answer.

Just before I hand over to the wonderful line up of professionals you have presenting today, I want to say I am proud of Tasmania’s reputation of welcoming migrants, refugees and international students to our State.

More than 70 nationalities call Tasmania home, the University of Tasmania hosts more than 3000 international students, and each year our State welcomes humanitarian entrants from countries around the world.

However, a multicultural society is not without its struggles – and I notice Robin Banks here today.  As Anti-Discrimination Commissioner Robin knows only too well the challenges our society faces to be truly inclusive and erasing the scourge of racism in our society.

But I firmly believe intolerance and discrimination can be broken down; that the barriers faced by migrants and refugees can be overcome, with the right strategies, and the right leadership.

We have many in our community fulfilling that leadership role, from well-established bodies like the Migrant Resource Centre, local councils and their community development officers, the Phoenix Centre, those who work in the sector, and numerous volunteers.

I applaud the work they and you all do on behalf of our CALD communities, and as Shadow Minister for Community Development with responsibility for migrants and refugees, I offer my full support to those organisations and people in their roles.

Again, thank you for inviting me along today, and congratulations to the Phoenix Centre and the Migrant Resource Centre for convening this timely forum. I now declare the forum officially open.

Elise Archer MP
Shadow Minister for Community Development