Australia has voted, and the outcome of the federal election signals a renewed opportunity to advance mental health reform in Australia.

With the government no longer in caretaker mode and Ministers able to resume their responsibilities, we renew our calls on the need for human-centred, peer-led mental health supports in our communities, which has never been more urgent.

As the federal government begins its new term, we look towards the delivery of commitments made prior to the election. This includes, in particular:

• $1 billion for free mental health supports, including new Medicare Mental Health Centres and headspace centres, the creation of 20 Youth Specialist Care Centres, and an uplift to the mental health workforce;
• Delivering more bulk billing – $8.5 billion more into Medicare to have nine out of 10 GP visits bulk-billed by the end of the decade, including appointments for Mental Health Plans under the Better Access scheme;
• Expand the Medicare Urgent Care Clinic network by opening 50 new centres by mid-2026 with $644 million boost. Four in 5 Australians will live within a 20-minute drive from an Urgent Care Clinic;
• New and expectant Australian parents will get free, personalised mental health support with a $16.7 million investment for eight Perinatal Mental Health Centres;
• $792.9 million in women’s health (including for endometriosis and complex gynaecological conditions);
• $20 million for Gosford’s women’s trauma recovery centre;
• $32 million to support men’s health, with $11.3 million for Movember to provide men’s health care training to primary health care workers and to develop a campaign to encourage men to visit the doctor, and $20.7 million for grassroots initiatives that support men’s mental health and wellbeing in community settings;
• From 1 January 2026, reduce the maximum cost of a prescription for Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme medicines from $31.60 to $25;
• Through the Goanna Academy, deliver $6.4 million for the expansion of preventive mental health education programs;
• $46 million over four years to establish an ongoing digital mental health service it committed to earlier in its term.

We remind the government that although these investments are important, there is much more to be done to achieve a mental health system that is integrated, accessible, and recovery-oriented for people living with severe and complex mental health challenges.

Long-term mental health and psychosocial services are central to supporting people in the community to stay well and maintain quality of life. These community-managed programs are key to minimising the need for inpatient admissions and providing cost-effective wraparound supports that evidence has shown to have lasting positive outcomes for both individuals and the community.

The community-managed sector stands ready to contribute our expertise, our lived experience insights, and our commitment to better outcomes for all.

See our key asks here