THE federal government has been accused of dragging its feet on mental health and refusing to support even its own election promises on suicide prevention.
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Psychologist and Country Labor candidate for the state seat of Wagga Daniel Hayes said the Coalition's promises on suicide prevention were based on three key elements of a Senate report called The Hidden Toll, delivered in 2010.
He said when the Greens moved a vote on these elements in the Senate recently, everyone supported them except the Coalition.
"That promise looks like it has been shelved," Mr Hayes said.
Mr Hayes said the Coalition's justification for "voting against their own policy" was that it was conducting a mental health review.
But a review, in Mr Hayes's opinion, is code for cutbacks with this government.
He likens a review of mental health services to the review of the Medicare Local network, which spelled the end of the program from the end of June next year.
Raising the issue in a letter to the editor of The Daily Advertiser, Mr Hayes said he had been involved for almost a decade in a suicide prevention network and what he had learnt was more work is needed in the area.
"I hope my fears become unjustified come the release of the mental health review, but I will not hold my breath," Mr Hayes said.
Mr Hayes has the Nationals squarely in the cross hairs for rejecting the Greens motion.
"They talk big in the bush, but when they come to fighting for it in legislation they are a bit silent," Mr Hayes said.
He said after a year in government, the Coalition should be doing more.
Member for Riverina and Nationals member Michael McCormack defended the review and the government's commitment to mental health.
"We do have a budget emergency that we are addressing, but mental health and suicide prevention are front and centre of all we are doing when it comes to health services," Mr McCormack said.
He said the National Mental Health Commission was due to report on its review at the end of November, and that would decide how the Commonwealth funded mental health and suicide prevention programs.
"It is important to see what is needed before rushing through legislation or a private members bill that might lock you into something that does not do the job or does not help the people you need to reach," Mr McCormack said.
Despite their political differences, Mr McCormack commended Mr Hayes for the work he was doing in suicide prevention.
"I have spoken with him in the past, and I certainly admire him for what he does as a professional in this area," Mr McCormack said.
