Shadow Minister for Mental Health, Ed Cocks has slammed the ACT Greens and Mental Health Minister Emma Davidson for voting down his motion that called on all Legislative Assembly party leaders to write to the Prime Minister and ask for a reversal of cuts to mental health.

Mr Cocks said it is astounding the Greens have voted against this motion, despite the Minister herself actively campaigning and handing out material in the community that called on the Federal Government to deliver free and unlimited mental healthcare via Medicare.

“Once again the ACT Greens have put their political alliance with Labor above what is in the best interests of Canberrans,” Mr Cocks said.

“Despite multiple members of the ACT Greens and the Minister making public statements against the Albanese Government’s cuts to mental health at the time, today they have well and truly backflipped on those comments and betrayed everyone who trusted them to keep their word.

“In amending the motion, the ACT Greens and Mental Health Minister have voted in favour of Federal Labor’s cuts to mental health.

“Canberrans deserve to be treated with respect and nothing about the debate today from Labor or the Greens has been done with respect.

“How can the public have any faith in what the Minister or ACT Greens say, when they say one thing to the public and then come into the Legislative Assembly and say something completely different to protect their political alliance.

“The ACT mental health system is under increasing pressure and voting against my motion today goes to show the Labor-Greens government have no interest in improving the failing mental health system,” Mr Cocks concluded.