Newsletters / Bulletins

A former Prime Minister assaulted, discarded postal votes found on suburban streets, disgruntled employers and employees voicing opinions on social media, chalk rainbows outside post boxes, planes leaving trails of ‘ NO ’ smoke behind them… and constant debate. Personal and divisive debate. That’s the discourse we are seeing as the nation answers one simple ‘Yes or No’ question via post.

To say my children are the next stolen generation is completely offensive to Indigenous people, my partner and I, and my children. They are not growing up without either a mum or dad, rather they are lucky enough to be growing up with two mums and two dads. And grandparents and cousins and aunties and so on. They are surrounded by people who love them and want only the best for them. Surely children only benefit from more people loving them?

The current transition period is unique in the life of the National Disability Insurance Scheme ( NDIS ). Never again will such large numbers of people be required to move into the Scheme in such a short period of time. Difficulties were expected, given the numbers of people involved and the complexity of the task at hand. However, people with severe mental illness have been seriously impacted by these implementation issues. This is unacceptable and cannot be allowed to continue.

Mental Health Australia CEO Frank Quinlan is currently on leave and has invited colleagues to provide a guest blog each week. This week’s guest blog comes from Josh Fear, our Acting Deputy CEO at Mental Health Australia.