Chief executives or responsible officers of the seven existing or developing Mental Health Commissions in Australia and New Zealand met in Brisbane on 16 February 2015.
The purpose of the meeting was to share knowledge and review the Memorandum of Understanding agreed in May 2014.
Change has continued unabated in that time as all Commissions have responded to their respective circumstances and the expectations of consumers, families and carers as well as service providers and other government agencies.
An estimated one in five Australians will experience mental health difficulties including mental illness in any given year. According to the recent Report on Government Services, Government spending per person has increased over time from $249 per person in 2005-06 to $317 per person in 2012-13. A similar situation exists in New Zealand.
Despite increases in resources and services, much remains to be done.
Download the Communique: Mental Health Comission Leaders Forum Communique - 16 February 2015. (PDF, 217kb)
