Better health and ageing for all Australians

Mental Health

Mental Health Expert Working Group (MHEWG)

On 23 December 2010, the Minister for Mental Health, the Hon Mark Butler MP, at the request of the Prime Minister, established the Mental Health Expert Working Group as a time-limited working group.

Mental health

. Fact sheets
. Programs
. Publications
. Data
. Consumer and carer participation

. Mental health sector consultation
.. Australian Suicide Prevention Advisory Council
.. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Advisory Group
.. e-Mental Health Expert Advisory Committee
.. Health and wellbeing check for three year olds – expert group
.. Mental Health Council of Australia budget implementation workshops
.. Australian General Practice Network workshop
.. Young people and mental health – online youth forum
.. Mental Health Expert Working Group
.. National mental health consumer and carer forums
.. Access to Allied Psychological Services Expert Advisory Committee
.. Borderline Personality Disorder Expert Reference Group
.. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health Advisory Group

. National mental health strategy
. COAG national action plan
. Links

Media release: Mental Health Expert Advisory Group established

The aim of the group was to provide confidential, strategic and practical input to the Australian Government about how to achieve well coordinated, cost-effective and lasting reforms to mental health care. This included reforms across a broad range of clinical and non clinical service systems with the aim of developing a strong, sustainable system now and into the future.

Members of the group were appointed by Minister Butler as individual experts on the broader social care and participation issues affecting people with mental illness, rather than as representatives of any professional or constituency group.

Following the announcement of the 2011-12 federal budget package Delivering national mental health reform the focus of the MHEWG changed to providing high level advice on strategic issues related to:

  • the implementation of the Delivering national mental health reform 2011 federal budget package, particularly prior to the establishment of the commission and
  • the development of the Ten Year Roadmap for Mental Health Reform.
The MHEWG ceased at the end of 2011. Membership included:
  • Professor Patrick McGorry AM
  • Professor Ian Hickie AM
  • Ms Sally Sinclair
  • Professor Frank Oberklaid OAM
  • Mr Toby Hall
  • Mr Anthony Fowke AM
  • Monsignor David Cappo AO
  • Dr Pat Dudgeon
  • Ms Janet Meagher AM
  • Professor Lyn Littlefield OAM and
  • Mr Frank Quinlan.