centrelink

Opening statement for Senate Standing Committee hearing on 21 April 2017

In its submission, Mental Health Australia has highlighted that Centrelink’s automated debt recovery process is likely to be distressing for customers experiencing mental health issues as they may not have the capacity to acknowledge their debt, fully understand their rights for review, or negotiate repayment. It calls for the Department of Human Services to reinstate a mental health consumer and carer advisory group to inform service protocols and strengthen safeguards to protect against causing undue distress for vulnerable customers.

The Mental Health Australia Submission on the Draft Fifth National Mental Health Plan

Mental Health Australia releases its submission to the Senate Economics Legislation Committee’s inquiry into the Budget Savings (Omnibus) Bill, focusing on government proposals to remove DSP from certain people in psychiatric detention.

Mental Health Australia’s submission into the Social Services Legislation Amendment Bill 2015 calls for the Bill to be rejected in its current state, as it further entrenches systemic discrimination against people with a mental illness.

Mental Health Australia has called for a complete rethink of the way the welfare system treats people with psychosocial disabilities associated with mental illness. Responding to the Interim Report from the current Review of Australia’s Welfare System, Mental Health Australia has rejected the Review’s proposal that the Disability Support Pension be provided only to people who have ‘a permanent disability with no capacity to work’. “Why would we re-build a system that is based on people continuously proving how sick they are, rather than a system focussed on assisting people to fully realise their potential?” Mental Health Australia CEO Frank Quinlan said.

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.

The Mental Health Council of Australia ( MHCA ) has today released a Key Issues Brief containing key facts about people on the Disability Support Pension ( DSP ) to address a range of misconceptions in relation to mental illness. “Contrary to some recent commentary, DSP recipients with mental illness are most likely to be people who want to work, but due to stigma and discrimination, and a range of significant and debilitating conditions, can’t.” MHCA CEO Frank Quinlan said.

The MHCA has today released a key issues brief that provides some key statistics about the Disability Support Pension and outlines some of the challenges that people with lived experience of mental illness face both in trying to access income support payments and meeting the costs of living. This is followed by a summary of the key measures in the 2014/15 budget and their likely impact on people with lived experience of mental illness.

In this issue: COAG – the Wrong Vehicle for Mental Health Reform?; National Compact Champions; Centrelink Disability Action Plan; Suicide and the Police – with a happy ending…; A Sense of Community – Mental Health Carers; What is Mental Health Promotion?; New Database for the MHCA ; MHCA Chair’s Report Disability Employment Services – Job in Jeopardy Assistance; Mental Health Input to PBAC Decisions; Consumers Health Forum of Australia Consultation on Community Pharmacy and Members Policy Forum; List of Recent Submission from the MHCA and the NMHCCF