Mental Health Australia acknowledges Australia’s First Peoples, and in particular to the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people who are the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we conduct much of our work. We pay our respects to Elders past and present.

The year ahead

With the new year comes many significant policy reform opportunities for Mental Health Australia and our members. 

The 2024-25 Federal Budget is only a few short months away, and we have reinforced in our pre-budget submission to the Australian Government that there is an urgent need to develop and fund the implementation of a multi-year mental health reform roadmap, which is co-designed with the sector and people with lived experience and their family, carers, and supporters. 

This submission, informed by members at our November Member’s Policy Forum, also calls for:  

• reform of funding models to adjust and ensure certainty in service delivery for both the community and the sector; 
• funding for a national low-intensity support service; 
• addressing the gap in psychosocial supports outside the NDIS; 
• increasing access to multidisciplinary care for people with complex mental health needs; 
• reforms to PHN funding and commissioning models to increase equity; 
• funding to implement the National Mental Health Workforce Strategy and establish a professional association for the Lived Experience (peer) workforce; 
• and measures to address social, cultural and environmental factors to holistically respond to and prevent mental ill-health – including supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people following the referendum and increasing mental health carer respite services. 

I highly encourage everyone to read our full pre-budget submission and details of further proposed 2024-25 Budget measures on the Mental Health Australia website.  

This year we are looking forward to the Government’s responses to the Better Access evaluation, the NDIS Review and the Disability Royal Commission, and will be ready with our members to support the design and implementation of reforms. Further, negotiations will also be underway for the National Health Reform Agreement, with the new agreement to commence from July 2025. 

One of the biggest upcoming changes in the sector will be the establishment of two new peak bodies to independently represent consumers, and families, carers and kin. Mental Health Australia is looking forward  to working closely with these new peaks, and has called for support to ensure lived experience leadership and representation is maintained through the process of establishment and transition to the new peaks.  

There have also been big changes for Mental Health Australia both at a Board level and a management level. 

I, along with the Board, would like to thank Ashley de Silva, who has stepped down from Mental Health Australia’s Board due to his new role as CEO of Choice. Ash made an incredible impact on the mental health of young people through his leadership with ReachOut Australia, as well as on the Mental Health Australia Board, and we wish him all the best for the future. 

I would also like to welcome Nicola Ballenden to the Board, who is the Executive Director Research, Advocacy and Policy Development at Mind Australia. Nicola is filling the casual vacancy from Ash’s departure, based on the member election results in late 2023. Welcome Nicola! 

At the management level, I also welcome Emma Greeney and Michelle Possingham to the team. 

Emma has commenced as the Director of Policy and Advocacy, joining us from her most recent role as the Executive Director of Strategy, Policy and Advocacy at Mental Health Victoria.  

Michelle Possingham will commence as the Director of Programs next week. Michelle is joining us after her role as the CEO of Lifeline Gippsland. 

Both Emma and Michelle bring incredible skills and experience to these newly created roles, along with a personal passion and commitment to advocating for mental health reform. 

I’m looking forward to working with you all this year to seize these big opportunities to progress reform, to improve peoples’ experience seeking mental health support in this country. 

Carolyn Nikoloski
CEO, Mental Health Australia

The diary next week

• On Monday I am meeting with Ruth Vine, Deputy Chief Medical Officer for Mental Health.
• On Tuesday I am meeting with Ms Kate Chaney MP, independent member for Curtin and attending the National Initial Assessment and Referral Decision Support Tool Expert Advisory Group.
• On Wednesday I am meeting with the National Mental Health Consumer and Carer Co-Chairs.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese talks about mental health on Hack

On 30 January Prime Minister Anthony Albanese talked to Triple J Hack host Dave Marchese about whether Labor will restore the 20 Medicare-subsidised psychologist sessions, and the impact the cut sessions have had on the mental health of young people in Australia. 

Mental health decline among young reaches crisis point 

Professor McGorry has warned the Albanese government that a crisis in the mental health of younger Australians is set to hurt productivity in the economy and further strain the public health system.

Professor McGorry said higher rates of depression, anxiety and psychosis represented a public health crisis in Australia.

New consumer body takes aim at national mental health issues 

The National Mental Health Consumer Alliance (known as the Alliance) has announced its incorporation as a national peak organisation for state and territory based mental health consumer organisations. The Alliance will act as a federal advocacy body and intends to work with the federal government on mental health consumer issues.

Disability Discrimination Commissioner calls for end to segregation

Australia’s new Disability Discrimination Commissioner says key laws protecting people with disability need reform. Rosemary Kayess is also calling for an end to segregation in all aspects of life for people with disability.

Building a strong ecosystem of disability supports

The Australian Government is making a significant investment to design and consult on key recommendations from the landmark independent NDIS Review (the Review), including the creation of Foundational Supports that will change the landscape of the disability ecosystem in Australia. Work will begin on an important Foundational Supports Strategy that will be critical to restoring the NDIS to its original vision of supporting those with significant and permanent disability, within a unified system of support. The Strategy will be considered by National Cabinet in the second half of this year.

Young people impacted by family mental illness receive new funding

Kookaburra Kids has received a significant boost as the Bupa Foundation becomes a Principal Partner and provides $250,000 of funding for a new flagship nature-based program for young people impacted by family mental illness, Regenerate.

Delivered in cities throughout Australia in 2024, Regenerate is an emotionally and environmentally regenerative program for young people impacted by family mental illness that will see camps, activity days and online connect sessions delivered in 2024 – helping approximately 1,000 young people.

Singles bearing brunt of housing crisis need solutions

Victoria’s peak body for community housing said raising JobSeeker will help reverse the worsening rental crisis for single people, as fresh analysis highlights the unmet and growing demand for affordable homes among the cohort.

Community Housing Industry Association Victoria’s (CHIA Vic) Housing Challenges for Single Person Households paper reveals: More than 47,600 single-person households are on Victoria’s social housing waitlist, representing the majority (85 per cent) of all new applications.

Sector-led consortium opportunity is available on AusTender

The Department is undertaking a competitive tender process to commission an Australian mental health service provider, or a group of service providers led by a single provider (with extensive experience in the design and/or delivery of digital mental health service) to work directly with help seekers, carers, and their support networks to co-design a connected and fit for purpose approach to modernising Australia’s mental health service navigation. The focus will be on augmenting existing help seeker awareness and enhancing the user experience through improvements in navigation to digital resources, low intensity services and online evidence-based treatment and support programs, tools, and services in the first instance. This work will build on previous engagement and consultation with the mental health sector, and align with relevant policy frameworks, such as the National Digital Mental Health Framework.

Scope of Practice Review

The first issues paper for the Scope of Practice Review has been released, and responses from the sector are sought by 8 March.

This independent Review focuses on health professionals who currently provide or have the potential to provide primary care, and explores the available evidence of the benefits, risks, barriers and enablers associated with health practitioners working to their full scope of practice. 

Gaining the views of as many people as possible, representing the broadest span of professions and public perspectives, is essential to the success of this review.

Submissions for March issue of Partyline

The March issue of Partyline will highlight stories of innovative, community-led grassroots health care and workforce initiatives that help improve the health and wellbeing of rural, regional and remote communities.  

Contributors are invited to reflect on what has worked and how challenges have been overcome in unique settings to provide positive health outcomes for our rural communities.

Submissions are due by COB Tuesday 13 February 2024 to partyline@ruralhealth.org.au 

BEING launches longitudinal survey into human rights

BEING, the NSW peak body for mental health consumers, is undertaking a survey to find out where and how your human rights may have been breached in the last 12 months.

By tracking data over multiple years they will shine a spotlight on the progress NSW is or isn’t making in meeting the human rights obligations agreed by Australia at a national level and use that information to advocate for positive change.

The survey should take a maximum of 7 minutes to complete.

Email info@being.org.au for further information.

Stratford Scholarship applications open

Mind is offering a $10,000 scholarship for an emerging Peer leader across Australia to complete a 12-month project that contributes to innovation and transformational change that supports the mental health and wellbeing of people in their own and the broader community. 

The Expression of Interest for the scholarship is open to an emerging Peer leader from diverse and intersectional backgrounds who want to be part of transformational change within their community.

Applications close 7th February 2024.