By political reporter Jake Evans

In short:

The Productivity Commission has called for a complete rewrite of the National Mental Health Agreement in a scathing review.

It also identified that half a million people with psychosocial conditions were not receiving support because they were not available outside of the NDIS.

What’s next?

The current agreement is due to expire mid-next year, but the commission says that it should be extended by a year to allow time for an overhaul.

“A landmark mental health agreement signed by federal, state and territory governments three years ago is failing, a scathing Productivity Commission inquiry has concluded.

The Productivity Commission said Australia’s mental health and suicide prevention system was out of reach for many, and the national agreement needed a complete rewrite.

It also issued a call for an “immediate” fix for 500,000 Australians who have no access to specialist mental health care because it is only available inside the NDIS. …”

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Health Minister Mark Butler acknowledged the need for further work and said the report would be brought to the next meeting with his state counterparts to discuss reform.

“This is an opportunity to reset and get this right,” Mr Butler said in a statement. 

“We must amplify the voices of people with lived experience and ensure future arrangements present a clear, long-term vision for improving mental health outcomes and reducing suicide.”