CEO Update: A time for action
12 June 2025CEO Message
A time for action
Tomorrow, Australia’s health and mental health ministers will gather for their first meeting of 2025 to discuss the nation’s mental health priorities.
This meeting is an opportunity for all governments to progress the interjurisdictional solutions needed to improve Australia’s mental health system and services.
With child and youth mental health and unmet psychosocial support needs at the top of the agenda, tomorrow presents a significant opportunity for all governments to jointly commit to the path forward on these important issues.
Mental Health Australia has previously welcomed the Albanese Government’s election commitments to expand free mental health support for people across the country, particularly young people. We know that significant gaps remain in mental health prevention, early intervention and supports for children under 12, and urgent action is needed. In consultation with our members, Mental Health Australia has provided a list of the immediate actions ministers can take following tomorrow’s meeting that will improve child and youth mental health.
It is also now 10 months since governments released their own analysis quantifying the shortfall in psychosocial support outside the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). As I reflected in my previous blog, this identified that 493,600 Australians are missing out on the psychosocial support they need. It is likely that this number has since increased, and will continue to do so if comprehensive action by all governments is not taken.
We are still waiting for a clear way forward, and tangible funding commitments, to close the gap in psychosocial supports, and ensure equitable access to care for people outside the NDIS. Mental Health Australia has highlighted the need for progress in this area in our recent joint open letter to ministers. You can read the letter here.
Later this month, the Productivity Commission will release an interim report from its review of the National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Agreement. Both community members and the sector are together eagerly awaiting the release of the Commission’s report, as it will help to inform future approaches to interjurisdictional collaboration, cooperation and agreement on mental health.
This is not an opportunity to be wasted.
We look forward to the outcomes of tomorrow’s meeting, and to continuing to work with governments and the sector to achieve the meaningful progress on the mental health reform that Australians have been promised and deserve.
Carolyn Nikoloski
CEO, Mental Health Australia
Mental Health Australia celebrates and congratulates mental health leaders recognised in the 2025 King's Birthday Honours List
Order of Australia – General
Appointed as a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC)
Professor Jennifer Westacott AO (NSW) – For eminent service to business, to tertiary education administration, to the mental health sector, and to the community. (Professor Westacott was previously Chair of the Mental Health Australia Board, from 2013 to 2019. Following her tenure as Chair, she has remained a Patron of Mental Health Australia.)
Appointed as an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO)
Ms Georgie Harman (VIC) – For distinguished service to the mental health sector, to the LBGTQIA+ community, and to not-for-profit organisations. (Ms Harman is CEO of Mental Health Australia member Beyond Blue, a former Board Director of Mental Health Australia, and former Deputy CEO of the National Mental Health Commission.)
Mr Naguib Kaldas APM (NSW) – For distinguished service to international and transnational law enforcement, to counter-terrorism leadership, to multiculturalism, and to veterans. (Mr Kaldas was the Chair of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide.)
Professor Skye McDonald (NSW) – For distinguished service to clinical neuropsychology, and to research into social cognition disorders after traumatic brain injury. (Professor McDonald leads Moving Ahead, a national Centre of Research Excellence in Brain Recovery to address psychosocial rehabilitation after traumatic brain injury.)
Appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM)
Ms Greta Bradman (VIC) – For significant service to the performing arts in a range
of roles, and to psychology. (Ms Bradman is a registered psychologist with experience in clinical, coaching, and performance psychology.)
Associate Professor Maria McCarthy (VIC) – For significant service to paediatric psycho-oncology research and education. (Associate Professor McCarthy leads the psycho-oncology clinical and research programs at the Royal Children's Hospital and Murdoch Children’s Research Institute.)
Professor Nickolai Titov (WA) – For significant service to digital mental health and wellness, and to tertiary education. (Professor Titov is a Clinical Psychologist and Co-Director of Macquarie University's eCentreClinic, and Executive Director of Mental Health Australia member MindSpot.)
Awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM)
The late Mr Randall Clinch (NSW) – For service to the community through mental health wellbeing programs.
Dr Mandy Evans (ACT) – For service to medicine in the field of psychiatry.
Mr Jeremy Heathcote (NSW) – For service to Indigenous community health. (Mr Heathcote has been involved in organising mental health and suicide prevention events across the Sydney region and has spoken on the issues both nationally and internationally.)
Captain David West (SA) – For service to mental health nursing. (Captain West is the Director of Mental Health Services at the Flinders and Upper North Local Health Network.)
Order of Australia – Honorary
Awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM)
Professor Marie Bee Hui Yap (VIC) – For service to psychology. (Professor Yap is an Associate Professor, Psychologist and Head of the Parenting and Youth Mental HealthGroup at Monash University.)
Awarded the Public Service Medal (PSM)
Dr Paul Dignam (SA) – For outstanding public service in SA Health as a consultant psychiatrist.
Webinar: What is cultural responsiveness and why is it important for mental health care in multicultural Australia?
Mental health service providers and individual practitioners seeking insights to work with clients from refugee and multicultural backgrounds are invited to join this upcoming webinar. Hear lived experience insights on the importance cultural responsiveness in safe and effective mental health care, build your foundational understanding of cultural competence and cultural responsiveness and understand the key principles and practical implications of cultural responsiveness.
Date: Monday 30th June 2025
Time: 1:00-2:00pm AEST
Location: Online via Zoom
Register now to learn more about cultural competence as a core part of quality mental health care. For further information, please contact the Embrace team at Mental Health Australia at multicultural@mhaustralia.org.
Mental Health News
Media release: King’s Birthday honour for Beyond Blue CEO Georgie Harman
Beyond Blue CEO Georgie Harman has been appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (General Division) for distinguished service to the mental health sector, to the LBGTQIA+ community, and to not-for-profit organisations. Ms Harman is one of Australia’s most trusted and influential figures in mental health, and has served as Beyond Blue CEO since 2014.
(See media release attached.)
Media release: More to give – new giving fund rules aim to boost charity support
The Australian Government is strengthening philanthropy by consulting on new rules
to ensure more money flows from charitable trusts to Australian charities. As part of these changes, public and private ancillary funds will be renamed "giving funds" – a clearer term that better reflects their role in supporting charitable giving.
Media release: Fairer and more equitable pricing for NDIS participants
The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) will introduce changes to NDIS pricing from 1 July 2025 designed to ensure NDIS participants are charged in line with other Australians receiving these supports through Medicare or Private Health Insurance. This year’s APR release is guided by the recommendations of the Independent Pricing Committee, established last year, and follows the Fair Work Commission’s annual review and increase of the minimum wage and award agreements by 3.5%.
Publication: Australian National Audit Office audit report – Effectiveness of the Board of the NDIA
The objective of the audit by the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) was to assess the effectiveness of the governance of the Board of the NDIA. The ANAO analysed the Board’s governance for the period 1 July 2021 to 30 June 2024, examining arrangements for consistency with relevant legislative requirements and fit-for-purpose arrangements to support sufficient oversight of the agency's operations.
Media release: Medibank and Magda Szubanski team up to start an important conversation about mental health in Australia
Last week, Australia learned that Magda Szubanski has been diagnosed with Stage 4 Mantle Cell Lymphoma, a rare and fast-moving blood cancer. Over the last three months, Medibank and Magda have been working closely on a nationwide mental health initiative. Magda is passionate about raising awareness and advocating for better mental health and her commitment to that cause continues through the launch of the Medibank Family Roast, a card game designed to help Australians have more meaningful conversations.
Media release: $1.9 billion investment in our health system (SA)
The Malinauskas Labor Government continues to make significant investments in South Australia’s health system with a further $1.9 billion over five years to meet the cost of additional demand and services in hospitals. It includes new investment of approximately $117 million over five years to support mental health services to meet growing demand and costs. It will see more than 130 new mental health beds brought online, with 72 mental health beds across three new rehabilitation units at the Queen Elizabeth, Modbury and Noarlunga hospitals to open shortly.
Media release: More perinatal health beds and better access to Townsville University Hospital
The Crisafulli Government is delivering easier access to much-needed specialist perinatal
mental health support for new mums and bubs, and the next step in a key piece of Townsville University Hospital infrastructure is moving forward. Queensland Health has sought expressions of interest from the open market to deliver 30 perinatal mental health beds across the State, including eight in Townsville, four in Cairns and two in Brisbane.
Media release: Lived experience at the heart of mental health
support (ACT)
The ACT Government released a new report that provides a comprehensive overview of peer work in the ACT’s mental health services, along with strategies to support its growth and development. Minister for Mental Health, Rachel Stephen-Smith, said peer work is a growing discipline in mental health care, where individuals with lived and living experience of mental health challenges use their insights to support others on their recovery journeys.
Media release: ACT Budget 2025-26 – Supporting mental health services for young people (ACT)
Young people across the ACT will continue to get the mental health support they need, with the ACT Government committing more than $9.4 million over four years to strengthen community-based mental health programs in the 2025-26 Budget. Mental Illness Education ACT (MIEACT) extended their sincere thanks to the ACT Government and Minister Stephen-Smith for their ongoing support.
Mental Health Opportunities and Resources
Butterfly Foundation's BodyKind Youth Survey 2024 findings are live
The findings of Butterfly's BodyKind Youth Survey 2024, a nationwide snapshot of body image in a large sample of young people in Australia aged 12 to 18 years, are now available.
Body dissatisfaction is shaping young people’s everyday lives – particularly in school environments, where over three-quarters of students report being subject to appearance-based teasing.
For many, body image issues interfere with their education: from hesitating to raise their hand in class or focusing on schoolwork, to avoiding school altogether. Alarmingly, one in five say body dissatisfaction frequently impacts their school attendance. Body dissatisfaction is also a leading risk factor in the development of eating disorders.
2025 Australian Mental Health Prize nominations now open
The 2025 Australian Mental Health Prize recognises outstanding contributions to either the promotion of mental health, or the prevention and treatment of mental illness across Australia. Nominations are open for the prize, which over the past decade has spotlighted leading clinicians, researchers, advocates, peer workers, educators and community leaders.
Nominations close 23rd July 2025. Learn more at the button below.
Tenth Rural and Remote Health Scientific Symposium, Alice Springs, 8th-9th October 2025
Under the theme “Research from the heart – shaping rural and remote health futures”, this landmark event brings together researchers, practitioners, and community leaders to share insights and ideas that will shape the future of rural and remote health in Australia.
Early registration is highly recommended.
2025 Rural Mental Health Conference, Hobart, 5th-7th November 2025
This year’s Rural Mental Health Conference is taking place in Hobart 5th-7th November 2025, centred on the theme: Rural Mental Health for the Future: Innovations, Collaboration, and Inclusive Approaches.
Registrations are open. Mental Health Australia CEO Update readers are eligible for a 20% discount by using the code MHA20.
Featured Members
Psychology for a Safe Climate
Psychology for a Safe Climate offers individuals and groups opportunities to deepen the emotional and relational skills needed for climate justice, personal and community transformation in response to the climate and ecological crisis.
Converge International Ltd
With over 60 years’ experience, Converge International is one of Australia’s largest and most trusted providers of EAP, critical incident, and wellbeing services. Today we support over 2 million Australians through our extensive network of customers spanning all industries and sectors. This depth of expertise enables us to share proven insights into the world of workplace behaviour, mental health and wellbeing that build mental fitness for employees and reduce people risk for organisations.
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