Albanese recalls family friend’s ‘confronting’ mental health struggle as he launches $1bn funding pledge

Anthony Albanese, out on the election campaign trail on Tuesday to pledge new mental health funding, recalled the ‘confronting’ struggle of a friend’s niece who almost died due to an eating disorder. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

Anthony Albanese became visibly emotional while recalling the mental health struggle of a family friend who nearly died, as he launched Labor’s $1bn pledge to boost access to treatment and counselling.

The prime minister recalled being shocked as a young man by the difficulties faced by his friend’s niece and said many Australians have “issues that we need to talk about more”.