With a pot full of money in her back pocket, Victoria’s Health Minister Ingrid Stitt visited Ballarat on Thursday morning to sell two promises to locals.
The promises: At a media event at Grampians Wellbeing and Connect Centre, Stitt said if reelected Labor would invest $19.5 million in new Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals in Wendouree and Ararat.
What’s that? A Local provides free mental health care without the typical obstacles, such as the need for a GP referral, Medicare Card or Australian Visa.
“It's very hard for families, with the cost of living [and] the pressure a lot of families are feeling, to be able to afford private psychology and psychiatry support,” Stitt told the Brolga.
She also announced $15.8 million in statewide funding to deliver housing for adults living with mental illness.
Is it accessible? Stitt pointed to a rise in serious conditions like eating disorders, which are particularly impacting young people and said: “That's why it's so important we don't take our foot off the pedal, that we keep the investments going. We know that there's some unmet need in this community.”
Local lens: Juliana Addison, Labor MP for Wendouree, said the new Local centres would be “game-changers for Ballarat” and “if you remove barriers, people will reach out”.
She said they would help relieve pressure on local hospitals, potentially before patients reached a crisis point.
A staffer at Grampians Wellbeing and Connect Centre told the Brolga the funding was the result of “a lot of advocacy from a lot of people”.
A snapshot: According to Mind Australia, the country’s largest provider of community-managed psychological services, one in five Australians live with mental health issues.
A 2025 report from the Ballarat Foundation found:
29.9 percent of the total population in the Ballarat region reported that their mental health was poor.
People in Ballarat are 34 percent more likely than other Victorians to seek help for mental health issues.
54.4 percent of people said cost was a barrier to accessing adequate care.
What next? The new centres will be put to tender and Stitt told the Brolga she saw 2027 as a “realistic” opening possibility.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, help is available.
Call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.
More options are available online at ReachOut.