"I think it is really important here, the Prime Minister is listening to the states and he is responding." Ms Palaszczuk hoped weekly national cabinet meetings could continue after the pandemic. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has praised Scott Morrison's leadership through the coronavirus crisis. Credit:AAP Image, Dan Peled/Alex Ellinghausen "Why would you not capture that and keep it going into the future?" Ms Palaszczuk complimented Mr Morrison during an announcement for expanded mental health funding in Brisbane on Tuesday.

The state government will give $28 million to the non-government sector to help people with mental health issues and those who are facing drug and alcohol addiction. "This is very much needed at the moment," Ms Palaszczuk said. “Many services are rapidly having to change the way they operate to keep up with demand while also adhering to social-distancing laws, making it difficult to continue their programs in the same way. "We've got a great non-government sector ... right across Queensland, that's willing, ready and able to help out and to lend a hand to people who are going through difficult times at the moment." The money will be used to expand virtual and phone support for people suffering in isolation, the state's mental health commissioner Ivan Frkovic said.

Organisations will be able to check up on people over the phone to hear if they are taking their medication and ensuring they have a relapse prevention plan if things start to unravel. Mr Frkovic said 60 per cent of the population was well psychologically before the pandemic struck. "But as a result of some of the things that have happened recently, your level of vulnerability may have increased." He said one of the major benefits of the funds would be to help people in their homes so they would not need to come into hospital. "We know that hospitals at the moment are under a lot of pressure, so this is an opportunity to provide some of that social support, interventions, for some people it might be just a general welfare check - there is a whole range of things we can do over the phone."