- Media Releases
- May 14, 2026
Today the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 was introduced to the House of Representatives. It has been referred to the Senate for a full committee inquiry, with a turnaround that gives the sector very little time to respond. Community Mental Health Australia has been closely tracking the […]
- Media Releases
- May 13, 2026
The 2026-2027 Federal Budget papers put into focus something our sector has always known: that mental health and wellbeing are not built in clinics alone. The decisions in this budget about housing, employment, bulk billing, hospital funding, and community infrastructure are mental health decisions, whether they are framed that way or not. A government that […]
- Collaboration, Community
- May 9, 2026
Earlier this week marked a genuinely significant moment for the mental health and suicide prevention sector, and for every peer worker who has ever wondered whether their role would be recognised, valued, and supported in a way that endures. The establishment of the Australian Association of Peer Workers is that recognition. And it has been […]
- Media Releases
- April 22, 2026
Today’s announcement by Hon Mark Butler, Minister for Health and Ageing and Minister for Disability and the National Disability Insurance Scheme marks a significant moment for Australia’s disability and mental health landscape, one the community mental health sector has long anticipated, and one that will raise as many questions as it answers. One question that […]
- Collaboration, Events, Health Economics, Reports
- April 2, 2026
This week, The Lived Experience and Community-Managed Alliance Parliamentary Breakfast brought together community leaders from across the country with a shared commitment to shaping a mental health system that recognises the full context of people’s lives, including their social and emotional wellbeing. Co-hosted by the Indigenous Australian Lived Experience Centre, National Mental Health Consumer Alliance, […]
- Advocacy, Community, Human Rights, Reports
- March 19, 2026
The release of the 2026 Close the Gap report is an important moment for Australia. It reinforces something many of us working in the community-managed sector see every day: the gap is not closing at the pace it should, not because we lack evidence or commitment, but because the systems themselves have not shifted. “We […]
- ACDC, Community, Events, Kate Hawtin
- March 11, 2026
At the recent Mental Health Australia Expo at Parliament House, we showcased the Assisting Communities Through Direct Connection (ACDC) Project and its work exploring place-based approaches to meeting unmet need for psychosocial support. Led by Community Mental Health Australia with State and Territory Community Mental Health Peaks and the National Lived Experience Peaks, the project […]
- Advocacy, Community, Events, Mental Health
- March 3, 2026
We’re looking forward to joining colleagues from across the country at the upcoming 2026 Mental Health Sector Expo hosted by Mental Health Australia at Parliament House. This event is always a valuable opportunity for our sector to come together in the heart of our nation’s capital, to connect with decision makers and to showcase the […]
- Advocacy, Disability, Human Rights, Media Releases, Mental Health, Mental Health System Reform
- March 3, 2026
A recent article published in Australian Journal of Human Rights (2026) presents a carefully reasoned case for a Human Rights Act in Western Australia, using the state’s mental health system as a practical example of why stronger legislative protections matter. Titled Advancing a rights-based mental health system: the case for a Human Rights Act for […]
The holiday season can be challenging for many of us. For some this is a wonderful time of the year, and for some it can be tricky to navigate. At CMHA we’re all trying to extend a little extra kindness to ourselves and to others this holiday season. Hopefully, this inspires you to do the […]
