CEO & Leaders Forum 2026: Setting the mental health agenda in NSW
Mental Health Coordinating Council’s flagship event, the CEO & Leaders Forum 2026, co-hosted with NSW Parliamentary Friends of Mental Health, presented a unique opportunity this year to hear directly from parliamentary representatives on mental health priorities and the direction of reform ahead of the next NSW State Election.
Held on 6 May 2026 at Parliament House NSW, the Forum brought together community-managed mental health leaders, advocates, Ministers and parliamentarians to explore the policy, funding and workforce challenges shaping the sector in NSW. Representatives from NSW Labor, NSW Liberals/Nationals and Greens NSW engaged in high-level discussion on the future of mental health reform and building a more effective mental health system.
The Forum opened with a Recognition of Lived Experience from Giancarlo de Vera, CEO of BEING – Mental Health Consumers and MHCC Board Director, centring the voices and leadership of people with lived and living experience in mental health reform. Giancarlo noted that, “We’re at a reflection point in this country’s history” and stressed the importance of recognising the value of lived experience in shaping the future mental health system.
An address from the Leader of the Opposition, Kellie Sloane MP
Ms Kellie Sloane MP, Leader of the Opposition, opened by drawing on her previous health portfolio and education focused work with young people and families in NSW. As the former CEO of Life Education NSW, Ms Sloane spoke about practical wellbeing supports and early intervention outside hospital settings. Ms Sloane noted that families across the state consistently raised children’s wellbeing as a key concern.
Ms Kellie Sloane MP, Leader of the Opposition
Ms Sloane also identified men’s mental health as an area requiring further attention, pointing to differences in health outcomes between men and women, including substance use and suicide rates, and concerns about the influence of online algorithms on young men. She highlighted the Coalition’s commitment to appointing a Shadow Assistant Minister for Men’s Mental and Physical Health and stressed the importance of long-term prevention and early intervention beyond election cycles.
Questions from the floor raised workforce pressures, including staff retention and psychiatrist resignations across the public system. Ms Sloane acknowledged concerns about the loss of expertise from the sector, arguing psychiatrists are undervalued despite providing critical frontline services.
Hearing from the Shadow Minister for Mental Health
The Hon. Sarah Mitchell MLC, Shadow Minister for Mental Health emphasised that the government “cannot underestimate the importance of the community mental health sector” while also noting the disconnect she sees existing between government and the community-managed sector.
Left to right: Dr Evelyne Tadros, CEO, Mental Health Coordinating Council, Ms Kellie Sloane MP, Leader of the Opposition, The Hon. Sarah Mitchell MLC, Shadow Minister for Mental Health
Ms Mitchell also reflected on the critical role community-managed organisations play in rural and regional communities, particularly in responding to crises and supporting people through challenges such as natural disasters, trauma and recovery. She emphasised the importance of government listening directly to organisations “working with people day in and day out”, noting that some of the best solutions come from community organisations themselves.
Long term support and funding certainty
Questions on the NDIS transition were raised, with Ms Mitchell sharing concern about uncertainty surrounding foundational supports and the risk of people and families being left to navigate gaps in the system themselves. Ms Mitchell called for direct sector input on what support is needed going forward.
Discussion also turned to chronic underinvestment in prevention and the importance of earlier intervention to reduce reliance on clinical settings.
Both Ms Mitchell and Ms Sloane stressed the need for long-term thinking and funding certainty over 10, 20 and 30 years, acknowledging that meaningful investment in prevention requires “bold policies and brave politicians”.
community-based care and crisis prevention
Dr Amanda Cohn MLC, Greens NSW Spokesperson for Mental Health, highlighted that NSW should strengthen rights-based protections for people living with mental health challenges, including through a Human Rights Act.
Dr Cohn stressed the focus must shift from inquiry reports to community-led solutions, describing the sector’s call to move beyond crisis responses as ‘not a lofty or radical goal’ and argued that long-term funding for community-based outreach and supports should be treated as necessary infrastructure.
Dr Amanda Cohn MLC, Greens NSW Spokesperson for Mental Health
Advocacy that lands: Strategies for a saturated market – Panel Discussion
In a panel discussion featuring James Toomey, CEO of Social Ventures Australia, Katherine McKernan, NSW Advocate for Children and Young People, and Nick Lucchinelli, Communications Specialist at Horton Advisory, speakers explored how the sector can build stronger arguments for change.
Panellists highlighted the importance of understanding audiences beyond the sector, and warned against testing ideas only within an echo chamber. Speakers emphasised the need to understand where the community is at, what issues are resonating publicly, and how advocacy efforts align with broader government priorities and decision-making environments.
Speakers also emphasised the need to understand the economics, rebuild the case for investment, and speak to shared values, particularly in policy-facing advocacy.
Left to right: Dr Evelyne Tadros, CEO, Mental Health Coordinating Council, James Toomey, CEO, Social Ventures Australia, Katherine McKernan, NSW Advocate for Children and Young People, Nick Lucchinelli, Communications Specialist, Horton Advisory
Ministerial address: mental health, housing and system reform
In a ministerial address, the Hon. Rose Jackson MLC, Minister for Mental Health, said mental health remained a key priority, while acknowledging the scale of the gaps facing the sector. Minister Jackson noted that despite funding challenges, housing, homelessness and mental health cannot be treated separately when they are so ‘deeply connected’ in people’s lives.
The Hon. Rose Jackson MLC, Minister for Mental Health
Suicide prevention and cross-sector responsibility
Discussion turned to the urgency of improving crisis responses, including co-responder models with first responders, with questions raised about prevention and long-term community supports. Minister Jackson flagged that suicide prevention does not only exist at the ‘pointy end’, noting her goal to reframe suicide prevention as a cross-sector responsibility. Minister Jackson identified the NSW Suicide Prevention Legislation, currently under consultation, as an opportunity to set this in motion.
In closing remarks, Parliamentary Friends of Mental Health Chair the Hon. Emily Jane Suvaal MLC reminded the room that their own mental health should remain a priority in the context of reform, and that awareness of shared humanity and self-care are essential.
From left to right: Jonathan Harms, CEO, Mental Health Carers NSW, Judi Higgins, Chair, MHCC, Gary Groves, CEO, ReachOut, Mariam Faraj, General Manager, CESPHN. Giancarlo de Vera, CEO, BEING – Mental Health Consumers, Dr Evelyne Tadros, CEO, Mental Health Coordinating Council, The Hon. Emily Suvaal MLC, Co-Chair, NSW Parliamentary Friends of Mental Health, The Hon. Rose Jackson MLC, Minister for Mental Health, Shane Jakupec, Regional Manager, Neami National, Mark Orr, CEO, Flourish Australia
The 2026 Forum provided an invaluable knowledge exchange between sector leaders and parliamentarians, setting the agenda to improve mental health outcomes across NSW.
Katherine McKernan, NSW Advocate for Children and Young People
Nick Lucchinelli, Communications Specialist, Horton Advisory
The Hon. Rose Jackson MLC, Minister for Mental Health
Dr Brendan Flynn, Executive Director, Mental Health Branch
The Hon. Emily Suvaal MLC, Co-Chair, NSW Parliamentary Friends of Mental Health
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