CEO Update: Message for ANZAC Day
24 April 2025
CEO Message
This week, on the eve of ANZAC Day, we are honoured to have Major Darren Black (Retired), contribute this week's message. Darren is a former Army Officer and UN Peacekeeper with over 20 years' experience as a CEO of purpose led not-for-profit organisations, and is CEO of Superfriend, a Mental Health Australia member organisation. He is passionate about improving mental health and reducing suicide particularly in vulnerable populations and high-risk workplaces, an interest founded over 20 years ago in his first profession as an Army Officer and military veteran. Darren is a Director of Suicide Prevention Australia and Military and Emergency Services Health Australia, and has contributed to recent national policy initiatives towards a Suicide Prevention Act and to the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide.
Carolyn Nikoloski
CEO, Mental Health Australia
Guest message from Major Darren Black (Retired)
Anzac Day is an important day for Australians. It is the day we remember the service and sacrifice of our past and present members of the Australian Defence Force (ADF).
The origins of ANZAC go back to WW1 and the Gallipoli landing on 25th April 1915, where the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZACs) fought the Turks for control of the Dardanelles. A battle we famously lost to the determined Turkish defenders, but only after 8,141 Australian soldiers lost their lives, with a similar number of New Zealanders falling beside ours. ANZAC Day is not a celebration of war; it is a memorial of service and sacrifice.
The ANZAC tradition and spirit has been built across many battle grounds in many theatres. From Europe and the Middle East, Korea, Vietnam and in more recent years Afghanistan, Iraq, East Timor and on Peacekeeping duties in Lebanon, Israel and Rwanda. On each occasion Australians have acquitted themselves with bravery and distinction all the while undergoing hardship in the defence of our nation, our values and our interests.
We need to acknowledge not just the physical loss but also the psychological toll of war – including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, moral injury, grief and trauma. And remember that Anzac Day is also a day of reflection for those carrying invisible wounds – the veterans and families affected by service.
My grandfather served in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and fought against the Japanese in Papua New Guinea in WWII. He was wounded and never the same after the war. For Airman Harry Black, the mental scars were deeper than the physical ones. My father Chief Petty Officer Christopher Black also served over 20 years in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and his dedicated service again brought mental scars after he was involved in a training accident which cost 74 sailors their lives when his ship HMAS Melbourne, struck USS Evans in the South China Sea in 1969. My Dad survived the accident and only passed away recently after a long battle with ill-health. However, he was haunted by that event for many years afterwards. Sadly, the mental scars and struggles my father and grandfather suffered after their service are all too common.
During the period of Australia’s involvement in the war in Afghanistan (2001-2020), we lost 41 Australian soldiers killed in action. For the families and mates of those soldiers that is a burden they will forever bear. However, during that same period we lost over 1,600 current and former ADF members to suicide.
The Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide revealed many shortcomings in the system of support between the ADF and the Department of Veterans' Affairs – cultural, structural and systemic issues where we have let our veterans down. The Royal Commission made (122) recommendations for systemic improvements to better support and protect the mental health of our veteran community. In good news, most of these have been accepted by the Commonwealth Government and many reforms are underway.
It is clear that our veteran community are a vulnerable cohort that deserve our respect and support. We remind our Mental Health Australia members and fellow Australians to remember to support those who have served and defended our nation, not just on Anzac Day but every day. We also want to acknowledge the mental health professionals for the critical role they play in supporting recovery, resilience and dignity for those who’ve served. Let us remember our veterans and continue to highlight the need for ongoing collaboration between veterans services, Government, the community and the mental health sector to support them.
“Lest we forget” – not only the fallen, but those who carry the weight of war within them.
Major Darren Black (Retired)
CEO, Superfriend
Save the date: Mental Health Australia Members Policy Forum – 25th June 2025
Mental Health Australia members are invited to mark their calendars for the next Members Policy Forum on Wednesday 25th June 2025 in Canberra.
The forum is an opportunity to reflect on the outcomes and implications of the Federal Election, and shape future sector priorities together.
Further details, including speakers, topics, and registration information, will be shared soon. See highlights from our last forum, held in November 2024, here.
Mental Health News
2025 Federal Election
Federal Minister for Health and Aged Care:
Media release: Historic Medicare investment to close the earnings gap between a bulk billing GP and mixed billing GP
From November, a GP at a city practice that bulk bills every patient will no longer face a $45,000 earnings gap compared to a GP that charges patient fees for one in four visits, according to newly released analysis of Medicare data.
Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care:
Joint media release: The Coalition will deliver better access to health and aged care in the Top End
A Dutton Coalition Government will ensure Australians living in the Northern Territory have better access to the health and aged care services they need and deserve with the announcement of support for health and aged care services in the Northern Territory. This includes $6.2 million to upgrade headspace Darwin to boost access to free mental health support for young Territorians, as part of a commitment to deliver a world-leading focus on youth mental health.
Leader of the Nationals:
Media release: Coalition commits to $10 million to support veterans and their families in NSW's Central West
Veterans and their families in the Central West will receive a much-needed boost in support under a Dutton-Littleproud Government, with the Coalition committing $5 million to establish a new Veterans' and Families' Hub in Bathurst and $5 million to expand the Veterans' Wellbeing Centre in Dubbo. The hubs deliver integrated support to veterans and families, by improving access to local services such as wellbeing, advocacy, employment and housing advice, social connection and physical and mental health.
Article: Public awareness grows around GP bulk billing concerns
In February, the major political parties promised to invest $8.5 billion into Medicare, including a bid to inspire "nine out of 10 GP visits to be bulk billed by 2030". Royal Australian College of General Practitioners President Dr Michael Wright noted that the incentives do not increase with the length of a consultation, and fail to acknowledge the workload of longer consultations, including Mental Health Plans, leaving GPs and practices at a potential disadvantage.
Media release: Youth mental health think-tank is the 100th organisation to call for urgent reform of skills recognition
Orygen has become the 100th organisation to join a growing alliance of businesses, unions, and non-profits calling for urgent reform of the overseas skills recognition system to help address shortages, improve access to mental health care, and support workforce sustainability.
Media release: Australians for Mental Health welcomes Labor's promise to help new parents
Australians for Mental Health has endorsed Labor’s election commitment to provide free mental health support to parents before and after their child’s birth.
Article: Peak renews calls for needs-based allied health
In the lead up to the federal election, Allied Health Professions Australia has raised concerns over the lack of system attention to reablement and no mandatory benchmarks despite the royal commission’s recognition the practice was crucial to older people’s wellbeing.
Media release: Candidates urged to back free Mental Health First Aid training for 1 million Australians by 2030
As Australia grapples with deepening mental health problems, increased demand for crisis support, and record-high calls to services like Lifeline, Mental Health First Aid says it welcomes the funding commitments already made by the major parties during the 2025 Federal Election campaign and is calling on political parties and candidates to commit to providing free community training to 1 million Australians by 2030.
Media release: It’s time to put people, not medicine at the centre of health care
The Australian College of Nursing is calling for a fundamental rethink of Australia’s approach to health care in the next term of government. In a ‘socialised healthcare model’, where more attention is given to preventive health and circumstances that lead to illness, a patient struggling with homelessness would be more likely to be referred to a housing provider, or to support services for substance use or mental health.
Other News
Media release: More ADHD drug supply delays underscore need for national strategy
Paediatricians are receiving frantic calls from parents concerned about their children's mental, physical and emotional state should they be unable to get their ADHD medication, as further shortages are predicted. The Royal Australasian College of Physicians is calling for a national strategy to tackle medication shortages, which have also impacted antibiotics, IV fluids, diabetes drugs and more.
News from the National Disability Insurance Scheme
Update on the independent review into music and art therapy supports
The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) is considering the recommendations and final report of the independent review. There are no changes to the status of music and art therapy as National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) supports. The report and any updates will be published on the NDIS website.
Annual Pricing Review commitment
The NDIS has committed to releasing its 2024-25 Annual Pricing Review within five days of the Fair Work Commission's announcement of the Annual Wage Review decision.
Total funding amounts, funding components amounts and funding periods
From mid-May 2025, and in accordance with recent legislation changes, all new NDIS plans approved will include total funding amounts, funding component amounts and funding periods. The provider learning environment has been updated to include new tutorials.
New Supported Decision Making Hub website for participants
Inclusion Australia has been working with the NDIA and Department of Social Services and has launched the new Supported Decision Making Hub website, containing information and resources for providers such as when to help participants make decisions about their disability supports, and 12 different disability support categories including the NDIS, employment, health and accommodation.
Engagement opportunities: Expressions of interest sought
1 on 1 interviews: Feedback on how information is shared on NDIS Impairment categories
One-hour interviews will take place between 7th-9th May 2025. Register your interest and learn more here.
New members – Supported decision making, advisory group
NDIS participants, family members, carers, or plan nominees are sought for the Supported Decision Making Advisory Group. Register your interest and learn more here.
Mental Health Opportunities and Resources
Australian Government Request for Expression of Interest: National Early Intervention Service
The National Early Intervention Service (NEIS) will provide free, evidence-based mental health support to people experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, mild mental ill-health or transient distress.
Expressions of interest close at 4:00pm (AEST) Tuesday 6th May 2025.
Sector submissions invited: Models of Care Consortium
Orygen has been engaged by the Department of Health and Aged Care to lead a diverse consortium of organisations from the youth mental health sector to deliver sector advice to the Australian Government on the system of mental health services for young people aged 12 to 25 years.
The consortium has made available documents on the work that has been done so far here, including a Summary of Consortium Early Advice (available here).
Submissions are now invited from the sector, including views on this early advice, and can be made using the form below, by Friday 16th May 2025.
Webinar recording now available: Supporting culturally responsive mental health services
Mental Health Australia’s Embrace Multicultural Mental Health's recent webinar, Delivering Safe, Quality and Culturally Responsive Mental Health Services, is now available for viewing.
Subscribe to Embrace's newsletter and follow them on LinkedIn for upcoming webinars, news and events.
New Perinatal mental health checklist in 40 languages
PANDA – Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Australia – has released an online mental health checklist for new and expecting families in 40 languages.
Call for sector support: Smiling Mind's Our Kids Count grassroots campaign
Shining a light on the mental health and wellbeing needs of Australian children and their families, Our Kids Count aims to drive awareness about the need for greater focus and investment in children's mental health and wellbeing during the election period.
Add your name to the Open Letter and access shareable campaign resources at the link below.
World Infant, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Day 2025
April 23 marked World Infant, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Day, an initiative of the International Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions. This year's theme, Bridging Worlds: Mental Health Support for Displaced Children and Families, underscores the importance of comprehensively understanding and addressing the mental health challenges encountered by displaced children and families as a result of crises, while promoting inclusion and fostering understanding between displaced individuals and host communities.
One Door Mental Health Symposium, Thursday 15th May 2025, Sydney
The One Door Symposium is a forum for leading advocates, researchers, and practitioners to present research and workshop insights to achieve meaningful change in the mental health sector. This year’s symposium explores the theme ‘From Vision to Action - Driving Meaningful Change in Mental Health’.
2025 Woodcock Lecture hosted by Wellways: Dignity by Design – Humanity in the Mental Health System, 29th May 2025
The 23rd Annual Woodcock Lecture, hosted by Wellways, explores human rights in the mental health system. Dignity by Design: Humanity in the Mental Health System is a crucial exploration into how human rights-based approaches can transform our mental health support systems.
Research opportunity: Psychologists’ attitudes toward, and use of, Artificial Intelligence tools in their work
The Black Dog Institute and Australian Psychological Society are conducting a study to help shape resources, policy, and training for Australian psychologists across a range of workplace settings.
Spread the word: Carers Australia's Carer Wellbeing Survey 2025
Carers across Australia are invited to share their lived experiences in Carer's Australia's annual carer wellbeing survey and share the survey with networks. The survey is open until April 30th, 2025.
Job vacancies: New opportunities to join the Everymind team
Everymind is currently looking for applicants to fill multiple positions including three Project Leads, one Research Officer, one Senior Project Officer, one Project Officer and one Communications Officer.
Featured Members
The National Eating Disorders Collaboration (NEDC)
NEDC is an initiative of the Australian eating disorder sector funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care dedicated to developing and implementing a consistent, evidence-informed approach to the prevention and response of eating disorders in Australia.
Brisbane North PHN
Our vision is a community where good health is available for everyone. We work with others to create and deliver the best possible health and community care system for the people of our region. We are one of 31 Primary Health Networks across Australia.
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