Greater than the sum of our parts

It was wonderful to meet with so many members across the diversity of the mental health sector at our Members Policy Forum in Melbourne this week.  

We were joined by more than 80 representatives from 62 member organisations, to discuss how we can advocate together more effectively – particularly to influence negotiations of the next National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Agreement.  

We're grateful to the Honourable Emma McBride MP, Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention for opening the Forum and sharing the government’s vision for mental health reform. It was valuable also to hear from the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing on progress implementing key mental health programs and services, including the development of the National Early Intervention Service, which will commence in January 2026.   

As I reflected during the Forum – it has been a tough time. The impacts of international uncertainty and conflict are felt here – there is a sense of exhaustion in the community and in the sector. 

However, there is opportunity for change, and a lot to be hopeful about. The next National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Agreement will set the agenda for interjurisdictional mental health reform for the next five years. 

It is so important that governments are listening – to people with lived experience and their family, carers and kin, and to the broader sector – on what the focus of this Agreement should be.  

We were pleased to hear from Productivity Commissioners Dr Angela Jackson and Dr Alison Roberts on the Delivering Quality Care More Efficiently Inquiry and the Final Report of the Review of the National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Agreement, which was released just the day before. 

This report provides invaluable guidance to Governments to improve the next Agreement. We look forward to further considering this Report along with feedback from members, to inform advocacy towards the next Agreement (for more information, see below).  

Through the Forum we were inspired by collective approaches to advocacy in related sectors – with wisdom from Kate Colvin, Homelessness Australia, Amanda Threlfall, Victorian Trades Hall Council and Joe Ball, Victorian Commissioner for LGBTIQA+ communities.  

We reflected on what is required to make national agreements effective with our Chair, Dr Peggy Brown AO; David McGrath, CEO of the National Mental Health Commission and Daniel Scoullar, the Director of Social Change Projects. 

And it was valuable to explore more deeply with members priorities around children’s mental health and principles for better commissioning in Forum workshops.  

While the Productivity Commission’s review of the National Agreement shows the difficulty in getting effective interjurisdictional agreements, getting ambitious commitments from governments on mental health, with strong accountability mechanisms, has never been more important.     

The way forward – through this complexity – must be together. 

Thank you to all our Forum speakers and attendees for such a thought-provoking, galvanising and encouraging day.  

Carolyn Nikoloski, CEO

Mental Health Australia