Australian state and federal governments are attacked on mental health care

More than a decade of mental health reform in Australia has failed to translate into better services, a new report says.

The report is the most extensive investigation into Australia's mental health services since national reform of mental health care began in 1992.

Its 1008 pages detail many personal tragedies, including accounts of patients harming themselves or others after being unable to get appropriate care. It also describes systemic problems, such as underfunding and workforce shortages.

“In short, the available evidence suggests that persons with mental illness still struggle on a daily basis to access appropriate health care or be treated with respect or dignity when they do enter our health care systems,” the report says.

“Any person seeking mental health …