The Hon Emma McBride MP
Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention
Assistant Minister Rural and Regional Health

More than half of the 61 Medicare Mental Health Centres being rolled out by the Albanese Labor Government are now open and providing free mental health care to everyone who walks through the door, in every state and territory.

This means free mental health for more people in communities across the country. 

The Logan Medicare Mental Health Centre was opened today by Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Emma McBride and Treasurer and Member for Rankin Jim Chalmers. 

Medicare Mental Health Centres are a safe and welcoming place where anyone can access free and confidential mental health care and support. 

These centres are free for everyone who walks in the door and open for extended hours with no appointment or referral needed.

The 2024–25 Budget included a $30 million investment in Medicare Mental Health Centres to improve capability and ensure every centre can provide free, on-call access to a psychologist and psychiatrist.

People with complex mental health needs will be able to receive free access to a psychologist or psychiatrist with no limit on the number of sessions and no gap fees. 

This will help ensure that cost is not a barrier for Australians to get the ongoing care they need. 

With the opening of the Logan Medicare Mental Health Centre today, there are 31 Medicare Mental Health Centres operating across the country and another two due to open by the end of the year.

The full network of 61 Medicare Mental Health Centres is expected to be up and running by mid-2026.

In Queensland, the Albanese Labor Government is establishing 19 Medicare Mental Health Centres with five already open in Logan, Townsville, Kingaroy, Ipswich and Redlands. 

Across the country, there are 13 centres operating in New South Wales, five centres open in Western Australia, four in South Australia, and one open in Victoria, Tasmania, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory.

As at 5 December 2024.