This week’s Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO) delivered the Australian Government’s $1.1 billion election commitment investment in mental health.
Community Mental Health Australia (CMHA) welcomes the Government’s ongoing commitment to Australian’s mental health, particularly to young people who are facing unprecedented and unacceptable social, relational, and financial pressures.
These investments continue the decades-long approach by governments of both under-investment and limited service offerings.
This is not the transformational investment the community mental health sector has been calling for.
It ignores the advice of the Productivity Commission’s recent review of the National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Agreement which called for urgent and immediate investment in psychosocial supports for the half a million Australians living with moderate and severe unsupported mental health challenges.
“The Health and Mental Health Ministers’ Meeting in February 2026 must deliver tangible and meaningful action, not more of the same,” said CMHA CEO Kerry Hawkins.
“Nothing less than system transformation is required to deliver a human rights based approach to mental health, from whole of government policies addressing social determinants, to a trauma-responsive and effective service system that prevents crises and further harm, and empowers people to get on with their lives. This means investment in scalable and transformation-enabling systems infrastructure in the mental health sector,” added Kerry.
Community Mental Health Australia will continue to work together with its members to assist state, territory and federal governments to develop these transformational system approaches.
