This is a joint submission from the Mental Health Council of Australia and the National Mental Health Consumer and Carer Forum in response to the Interim Report by the Reference Group on Welfare Reform. It addresses and responds to what we believe are the key issues for the mental health sector (including consumers and carers) arising out the Interim Report.

This is the third submission from the Mental Health Council of Australia ( MHCA ) to the National Mental Health Commission ( NMHC ) to inform the NMHC ’s current review of mental health programmes. It articulates the MHCA ’s priorities for the mental health system going forward. The contents are informed by detailed consultations with consumers and carers and other mental health stakeholders and proposes priorities and actions to drive long term policy and systemic reforms

The MHCA provided a submission to the Senate Inquiry into Affordable Housing. In our submission we recommended that people with lived experience of mental illness be recognised as a priority group in future housing and homelessness agreements; recommended that the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness be re-funded for a further five years; and endorsed the continuation of current strategies aimed at growing the community housing sector to ensure that there are increased housing options available for people with lived experience of mental illness.

The MHCA ’s 2014-15 budget submission proposes a range of no-cost, low-cost and long-standing recommendations that will help build an Australian mental health system that is holistic, integrated and that delivers better support for people with a lived experience of mental illness and their carers.