Submission to the Productivity Commission’s Review of the National Agreement

Mental Health Australia has welcomed the opportunity to contribute to the Productivity Commission’s Review of the National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Agreement (National Agreement).

While the National Agreement has made a good start in establishing system architecture and has facilitated much-needed investment in mental health services, it falls short of delivering a truly national mental health and suicide prevention system. This is because the responsibilities articulated largely reflect existing arrangements, rather than progressing collaborative and transformational reform. The reliance on bilateral agreements perpetuates fragmentation through funding ‘bits and pieces’ that are not aligned to a national vision of the support system Australia is aiming to achieve. The next National Agreement must deliver on a national vision for the mental health system.

As discussed in this submission, there has been progress in delivering some specific actions and commitments of the National Agreement. However, in other cases implementation has been delayed or sometimes completely stalled. Far greater transparency and accountability are needed to track the reform implementation, and outcomes achieved, through the National Agreement.