Tuesday, 14 February 2006
Attention to mental health and disability needs welcomed
The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission has welcomed the recognition by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) of the need for leadership and additional resources from all governments to address mental health problems in the Australian community.
COAG has asked Senior Officials to prepare an action plan to be brought forward for its consideration no later than June 2006
Human Rights Commissioner and Acting Disability Discrimination Commissioner Graeme Innes said that the community would be watching eagerly to see COAG"s discussions translated into specific commitments backed by substantial resources.
The Commissioner also welcomed funding commitments made at the COAG meeting to reduce the number of younger people with disabilities living in aged care facilities due to a lack of appropriate accommodation options.
The Commissioner said that, looking at the points which COAG have asked to be included in a draft national action plan on mental health, it was encouraging to see that Australia"s governments were now picking up the same themes which people with a mental illness, their families and other experts in the field had been speaking about for some years.
He paid tribute to the many individuals and non-government organisations who had worked to place mental health issues on the national agenda, including his predecessors as Human Rights Commissioner Brian Burdekin and Dr Sev Ozdowski.
Media Contact: Janine MacDonald 0407 660 235
