CEO Update: Federal Election Platform 2025 - Pathways to free mental health support for children and young people
27 February 2025
CEO Message
I am currently on a short period of leave. I am delighted that Michelle Possingham, Mental Health Australia's Director of Programs, has stepped in to the role of Acting CEO while I am away.
Carolyn Nikoloski
CEO, Mental Health Australia
Federal Election Platform 2025: Pathways to free mental health support for children and young people
Mental Health Australia is urging all political parties to commit to implement pathways to free mental health care for everyone under the age of 25 as part of their election platforms.
This ambitious move could change the trajectory for mental health in Australia by investing in accessible care earlier in life, during the most critical phase of growth and development.
With two thirds of mental illnesses emerging by the age of 25, it is essential that any barriers to support are removed to ensure all children and young people can access the care they need to thrive.
The $8.5 billion health package announcement of Federal Labor on Sunday, quickly matched by the Coalition, is a welcome confirmation that universal access to healthcare is a deeply held Australian value across party lines. This will significantly improve equity in access to primary healthcare, with mental health challenges the most common reason people visit a GP.
However, without further changes, the pathway will end there. We need further investment to ensure availability of mental health supports in the community that GPs can refer people to, as well as appropriate alternate pathways online, through schools and walk-in community hubs, so that all children and young people can access the mental health supports they need.
This targeted call to action forms the third component of Mental Health Australia’s Federal Election platform, building on our Vision Statement released in December, and Sector Sustainability Statement also released today. Read the Media Release here.
Mental Health Australia’s Sector Sustainability Statement outlines seven key actions to improve funding and contracting arrangements to ensure certainty for the community and sector providing mental health support. We will call on Federal Election candidates to pledge to support the Statement and deliver these changes if elected for the next term of government.
Together these pieces create an ambitious vision for the next term of Government. But in the words of the Prime Minister, “people deserve ambition from their government”. In relation to mental health reform, we need ambition now – perhaps more than ever.
Michelle Possingham
Acting CEO, Mental Health Australia
Productivity Commission Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Agreement Review
The Productivity Commission has been asked by the Australian Government to conduct the final review of the National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Agreement.
The Commission has developed guidance to assist the preparation of submissions, which sets out some of the issues and questions identified as relevant at this early stage of the inquiry. Participants are asked to provide evidence to support their views, including data and specific examples where possible.
Initial submissions are due by Wednesday 12 March 2025. Learn more at the Commission's website.
Share your experience of the mental health and suicide prevention services in the Review's survey
As part of the review, the Productivity Commission is inviting consumers, carers, workers and volunteers with experience using mental health and suicide prevention services over the past 3 years to provide feedback in a survey.
The survey seeks to understand experiences and ideas for making services better in the future.
Learn more at the button below.
Mental health news
Media release: Strengthening Medicare – more bulk billing, more doctors, more nurses
A re-elected Albanese Labor Government will make the single largest investment in
Medicare since its creation over 40 years ago, with $8.5 billion to deliver an additional 18
million bulk billed GP visits each year, hundreds of nursing scholarships and thousands
more doctors in the largest GP training program ever. For the first time, Labor will expand bulk billing incentives to all Australians and create an additional new incentive payment for practices that bulk bill every patient.
Media release: National Suicide Prevention Strategy and $69 million for suicide prevention initiatives
The Albanese Government and the National Suicide Prevention Office have released the National Suicide Prevention Strategy 2025-2035. Every day in Australia, nine people die by suicide and more than 150 attempt to take their own life. The National Suicide Prevention Strategy outlines what is required to provide a national, evidence-based and compassionate suicide prevention system. It aims to prevent suicide by addressing the circumstances that lead to suicidal distress and to support people experiencing suicidal thoughts and those who care for them.
Media release: Government releases long-awaited suicide prevention strategy
Suicide Prevention Australia welcomed the release of the National Suicide Prevention Strategy, an important milestone for the Albanese Government and a step closer to reducing suicide and distress across Australia. The Strategy provides a crucial roadmap to drive coordinated, whole-of-government action to prevent suicide. Suicide Prevention Australia has long advocated for this reform, alongside the suicide prevention sector and people with lived experience who extensively contributed their time and expertise to shape this vital piece of work.
Media release: Red Nose funding restored – Prime Minister overturns decision, ensuring vital support for bereaved families continues
Red Nose Australia announced that the Prime Minister had stepped up to reverse a decision to cut funding for vital bereavement services, saying the decision ensured that vital support would continue uninterrupted for families impacted by the loss of a pregnancy, a stillbirth or the death of a baby or child. Following a week of liaison with Government, Red Nose were forced to announce a devastating $6 million funding cut (over 3 years) that threatened the closure of the 24/7 Support Line, drastic increases in wait times for counselling, and significant reductions in expert bereavement care.
Interview transcript: Prime Minister, 2GB Radio Sydney, 25th February 2025
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese discusses funding cuts to Red Nose Australia.
Media release: Griefline Helpline to close – a devastating loss for grieving Australians
Griefline’s Helpline, a critical support for grieving Australians, will close on 18th March 2025 due to a lack of sustainable funding. Despite a 112% increase in calls, Griefline was unable to secure Commonwealth funding for its Helpline, resulting in its closure and leaving the nation without a free, accessible grief and loss telephone support service. The closure will have significant consequences, increasing pressure on crisis services and the broader health system, unless immediate financial support is secured.
Media release: Gene therapy project shares in $3.7 million dementia research funding
Dementia Australia Research Foundation announced $3.7 million in research funding as part of the 2024 grant round. The funding was awarded to 24 projects, including one exploring if viruses can be used to deliver critical genes to boost the brain's defences against Alzheimer's disease as well as improving the quality of eyecare for people living with dementia in residential aged care.
Media release: Council for Intellectual Disability launches federal election campaign to improve healthcare
The Council for Intellectual Disability (CID) has launched Our Health Still Counts, a federal election campaign calling on all parties and candidates to commit to providing quality, accessible healthcare for people with intellectual disability.
Media release: Albanese Government invests $12.5 million for King Wally to tackle CTE
The Albanese Government is again showing its commitment to tackle dementia, with a $12.5 million funding package provided to Dementia Australia to support people living with probable chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a form of dementia linked to repeated head injuries or concussions, which may result in changes in personality, behaviour, and cognitive function.
Media release: CTE funding set to boost Australia's future brain health
Dementia Australia welcomed the $12.5 million investment by the Federal Government to tackle CTE. Dementia Australia CEO Professor Tanya Buchanan said with this funding, Dementia Australia, together with the Concussion and CTE Coalition and other important partners, and working with the Federal Government, will develop and deliver a national pilot program of support services for people impacted by CTE, and a national awareness and education program in schools.
Joint communique: Veterans' Ministerial Council
Ministers responsible for veterans' issues at the Federal, State and Territory levels met on 21st February to discuss key priorities and next steps following the Government's response to Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide.
Media release: New rules to protect workers' mental health
Victoria's Deputy Premier and Minister for WorkSafe and the TAC, the Hon. Ben Carroll MP, said the Allan Labor Government is supporting workers' rights to a safe workplace with new protections for mental health. The Labor Government will introduce new regulations strengthening how psychosocial hazards are managed by the end of the year, recognising psychosocial hazards to be as important as physical hazards and creating new obligations for employers to identify and control them in their workplaces.
News article: How heatwaves can wreak havoc on your mental health
Extreme heat is leading to a rise in a range of mental health and social issues. Experts say its effects need to be taken more seriously.
This is part three of a three-part SBS News series exploring the adverse impacts of climate change on mental health and wellbeing.
National Disability Insurance Agency and National Disability Insurance Scheme News
Applying to the NDIS – webinars
The NDIA is delivering online webinars on Accessing the NDIS. These webinars are designed to help people with disability, families and carers understand the process of accessing the NDIS.
Presenters will provide an overview of the NDIS, including eligibility criteria, evidence requirements, the application process and who can help you apply. Following the presentation, you will have an opportunity to ask our speaker questions.
Our speaker will outline how recent changes impact people applying to the NDIS, including the introduction of notice of impairments.
Sessions are delivered via Microsoft Teams and are offered over multiple dates to allow flexibility for attendees. Please note that each session will cover the same content so only register for the date you wish to attend.
Dates & Times:
Thursday 27 February (7:00pm – 8:00pm AEDT)
Tuesday 4 March (7:00pm – 8:00pm AEDT)
Registrations will close one business day prior to the session or once sessions have reached capacity.
For any enquiries regarding this session, please contact events@ndis.gov.au and include the session name in the subject line.
Mental Health Opportunities and Resources
The National Mental Health Consumer Alliance (the NMHCA) wants to hear from you.
The NMHCA became the National Peak Body for mental health consumers in July 2024, led by mental health consumers for mental health consumers.
They are seeking your input to help the National Peak Body for Mental Health Consumers identify where they should focus, and what their priorities should be, over the next two years.
If you would like to share your thoughts with the NHMCA, please complete the survey here or click the button below: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Alliance_SP
The survey will close on Sunday, March 16 at 5:00PM.
New Medicare Benefits stakeholder kit
The Department of Health and Aged Care has released a kit highlighting the range of benefits available through Medicare, including mental health services and free walk-in health care available at Medicare Mental Health Centres.
The kit includes information and resources including social media content and FAQs, for a range of audiences including First Nations and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse people.
More information and a link to the kit is available at the button below.
Webinar: National Mental Health Consumer Alliance – 6th March 2025
The Alliance invites people who have lived experience using mental health services to its first public webinar to learn about the Alliance's achievements over the past seven months, and areas of focus in 2025.
The presentation will be followed by a Q&A session. A webinar for Allies is scheduled for 13th March.
Date: Thursday 6th March 2025
Time: 12:00-1:00pm (AEDT)
Location: Online via Microsoft Teams
Learn more at the button below.
Survey: Lived experience perspectives on social work registration
The Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) is advocating for social workers to be included in the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme (NRAS), and seeking views from people with lived experience about their direct experience with social workers through a short survey.
Responses are invited until 9:00AM, Tuesday 11th March 2025. Access the survey at the QR code or button below.
Webinar: You Can't Deny it – Gender Euphoria Saves Lives
MindOut develops and delivers national suicide prevention initiatives for the mental health and suicide prevention sectors to help them meet the needs of LGBTIQ+ populations.
MindOut's next webinar will run adjacent to Trans Day of Visibility on 31st March, as a timely opportunity to discuss topics such as the importance of life-saving gender euphoria and gender affirming care.
Date: Tuesday 1st April 2025
Time: 1:00-2:00pm (AEDT)
Location: Online via Zoom
Register at the button below.
Training: Learning about complex trauma with BlueKnot
The Blue Knot Foundation has introduced half day training sessions for professionals, exploring key concepts focused on the importance of safety, understanding the role of compassion in healing and continuing to strengthen the awareness of the impacts of complex trauma.
Places are limited, learn more at the button below.
Listening Together Research Project
Young people with disability and young carers are invited to take part in Australian National University research studying how they define good listening, and whether they feel listened to by the organisations and services in their lives. The project is co-designed with a group of young people with disability and young carers and includes an online survey, which is open until 20th June.
Closing 28 February 2025: Consultation measuring the contribution of unpaid care in Australia
The Australian Bureau of Statistics' consultation on the best approach to measuring the labour contribution of unpaid carers closes on 28 February.
Australian Government grant opportunity forecast: Mental Health Program, Medicare Mental Health Centres
The service will create a pool of clinical psychologists and psychiatrists to support the clinical capacity of Medicare Mental Health Centres as part of a multidisciplinary team.
Australian Government grant opportunity forecast: Mental Health Program, Postgraduate Psychology Incentive Program Round 2
The grant is intended to support higher education providers who have created additional postgraduate psychology places in courses which lead to general registration and relevant areas of practice endorsement.
National Care and Support Sector Conference, 25th July 2025, Perth
This year's conference brings the Disability, Aged Care, Mental Health, Early Childhood Education and Care and Veterans' Care sectors together to discuss shared challenges and opportunities for providers at a time of rapid reform.
Featured Members
Mental Health Professionals Network (MHPN)
MHPN is a federally funded, not-for-profit organisation established in 2008 to support and enhance a more interdisciplinary approach to primary mental health care service delivery in Australia. The activities of MHPN are anchored on the premise that collaborative mental healthcare is enhanced if practitioners from the relevant disciplines can connect regularly, resulting in greater consultation and collaboration, more targeted referrals, and improved outcomes for people with mental health conditions. MHPN promotes collaborative care through two platforms: face-to-face interdisciplinary mental health practitioner network meetings and an online professional development webinar program, both of which have been shown through evidence-based evaluations to improve practitioners’ attitudes and practice regarding interdisciplinary care.
Since 2003, Movember has funded more than 1,250 men’s health projects around the world, challenging the status quo, shaking up men’s health research and transforming the way health services reach and support men. Movember’s areas of focus include prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health and suicide prevention. Movember looks at mental health through a male lens, focusing on prevention, early intervention and health promotion. We’re working towards a world where men take action to be mentally well, and are supported by those around them.
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