New mental health minister, preventative health portfolio announced

Tuesday 18 March 2025

With its post-election cabinet reshuffle complete, the State Government announced a new minister for mental health this morning as well as a brand new portfolio – Preventative Health.

Meredith Hammat will be responsible for the Health and Mental Health portfolios; while Preventative Health will be taken on by Sabine Winton.

In another first, a Hospital Infrastructure portfolio has been created, to be overseen by John Carey.

Chief Executive Officer, Taryn Harvey, welcomed the new ministers to their roles and said she was pleased that preventative health was being given the focus it required.

“We have long known that a strategic focus on preventative health measures is required if we want to develop a sustainable mental health system that can support and empower people to be well,” Ms Harvey said.

“Of course, we all know that prevention is better than cure, but not only is it better for the individual, it is necessary for the efficacy of the mental health system.

“This is why Premier Cook’s Sustainable Health Review set a target for spending on prevention to increase to five per cent of total health expenditure by 2029.

“Investment in, and a strategic focus on prevention and community support, are essential to address the over-reliance and growing expenditure on acute, hospital-based mental health services.”

The reshuffle also included the creation of four new regional portfolios – South West, Goldfields, Wheatbelt and Great Southern.

The Government announced that the dedicated ministers for each region would focus on local job opportunities, services and infrastructure needs specific to those regions.

“Despite the resilience of our regional communities, we know there are unique challenges and pressures that come with regional living that are having severe impacts on the collective mental health of these communities,” Ms Harvey said.

“Coupled with insufficient community-based mental health support, our research has shown that WA’s regional communities are experiencing high distress, low wellbeing and ongoing unmet mental health needs.

“I hope this more targeted approach to addressing our regional communities’ needs will translate into community-focused, place-based, mental health services.”

Ms Harvey said she looked forward to working with the new ministers.

“I particularly look forward to working collaboratively towards a new mental health strategy that puts community-focused recovery and support in the spotlight.”

A full list of the new cabinet positions and portfolios announced this morning can be found on the WA Government’s website.

To find out more about WAAMH’s research into the mental health challenges facing regional communities, please see our report, Going the distance: Making mental health work better for regional communities.

 

Media contact:
Rosie Hanson
Communications Officer
E: communications@waamh.org.au
T: 08 6246 3034