Media Archive
The following web-based media has appeared concerning the cuts to psychological services in the Better Access to Mental Health Care initiative. Some of these articles speak with a tone of optimism about the changes to mental health policy in Australia, but all of them contain a lingering sense of uncertainty and concern, between the lines, about whether the Government's promises stack up against the evidence. Here are the articles we could find on the Internet about the proposed changes due to kick in from November 2011.
ABC News: Mental health patients 'shunned' 23 Dec 2011
Croakey: A note of clarification about Croakey (NOTE: read the comments) 21 Nov 2011
Ahead Magazine: Why the government can't convince mental health consumers about better access changes 12 Nov 2011
ABC Rural: Funding changes leaving some rural mental health patients stranded 9 Nov 2011
Beef Central: Rural mental health faces Christmas cuts 8 Nov 2011
ABC: Practitioners brace for mental health cuts 31 Oct 2011
Medical Observer: GPs are not 'fat cats', AMA tells Roxon 27 Oct 2011
Medical Observer: We'll fight cuts, GP groups vow 24 Oct 2011
Medical Observer: Psychologists join criticism of govt cuts to Better Access 5 Sept 2011
Croakey Blog: Building a National Mental Health System 5 Sept 2011
Medical Observer: VIDEO - Dr Christine McAuliffe's mental health plan protest 3 Aug 2011
Medical Observer: GPs may have to abandon Better Access 28 July 2011
Medical Observer: GPs will end mental health plans if rebate cuts go ahead 21 July 2011
ABC News: Senate to review mental health service funding 24 June 2011
Medical news today: Senate Inquiry Vindicates AMA Stance On Mental Health Cuts 23 June 2011
Medical Observer: Campaign against cuts to mental health rebate heats up 23 June 2011
Mental Health Fellowship, Victoria Newsletter: From Our Acting CEO 14 June 2011
Medical Observer: Better Access cuts to hit 250,000 in need 14 June 2011
Crikey.com Federal budget: Mental health: PM, Butler get credit 11 May 2011
If you would like to comment about these articles, or if you are aware of other pieces on the Internet about the changes to the Better Access to Mental Health Care initiative, then please leave a comment for us in the section below.
On a few occasions so far, television stations have been contacted and have covered aspects of this story. As yet there has been no substantive coverage about the negative impact that the planned cuts to psychological services will have on the people who need psychotherapy in Australian society. We wiould obviously like to see a lot more stories broadcast over television about this issue, to raise public awareness before the planned cuts are put in place. To date, the following stories have been aired about the Better Access to Mental Health Care initiative.
Lateline(ABC): Youth Services Are Essential: Butler 11 May 2011
Q&A (ABC): Pulling the Wool over Australian’s Eye’s with Mental Health Funding 10 June 2011
ABC News: New mums fear mental health rebate cut 2 Nov 2011
If you would like to comment on any of these television segments about this issue, or if you are aware of any other televised statements about this, please leave a comment for us in the section below.
Up until recently, there has not been much coverage in newspapers about the cuts to psychological services. We suspect that one of the main barriers here has been that news reports have been responded to quickly from spokespeople for the Government with minimising or dismissive statements that create the impression that the changes will not have much of an impact. This has created a sense of uncertainty from those who are not properly informed about this issue, and hence, a tendency not to publish stories about it. Even so, there have been some stories covering the proposed changes, including the following.
Articles
Australian Doctor: Rural Docs slam after-hours plans Dec 29 2011
The Daily Advertiser: Medicare scheme overlooks rural areas Dec 29 2011
The West Australian: Cuts to scheme hurt people it aims to help Dec 6 2011
The Courier Mail: Doctors fear spike in suicides this Christmas Dec 6 2011
Australian Doctor: Fears over collapse of after-hours care Dec 6 2011
The Australian: Psychologists protesting at cuts to mental health programs Dec 5 2011
The Sydney Morning Herald: Mental Health Counselling Cuts Hit Hard Nov 28 2011
The Gympie Times: Access to care denied Nov 23 2011
The Courier: Medicare mental health cuts could affect Ballarat Nov 10 2011
The Age: Cuts to hurt mentally ill, say doctors 23 Oct 2011
The Australian: Psychologist targeted by 'unfair' medicare 17 Oct 2011
Canberra Times: Vulnerable 'ignored' as govt cuts health aid 5 Sept 2011
The Age: Youth service short of GPs 28 Aug 2011
The Age: The problem with health advocates is when they don't 25 Aug 2011
Canberra Times: State premiers look at plans to give foreign students special visas 20 Aug 2011
The Age: McGorry accused of conflict of interest 7 Aug 2011
Sydney Morning Herald: Mental health scheme is 'welfare for wealthy' 15 July 2011
The Australian: Mental health GP quits panel over medicare rebate cuts 14 July 2011
Wanneroo Weekender: Cut to Mental Health Program sparks Online Campaign 10 June 2011
The Australian: ‘Depressing’ cuts for New Mums 13 May 2011
The Age: New Services to Benefit Mentally Ill 11 May 2011
The Age: Indie MPs Get Promises Fulfilled 11 May 2011
The Australian: Axe Falls to Cover Mental Health 11 May 2011
Letters to the editor
The Age: Hurting the hurt Oct 30 2011
The Age: No quick fixes for mental illness / A backwards step Aug 26 2011
Sydney Morning Herald: McSorry state of affairs for aussie rural battlers: June 18 2011
The Age: The unkindest cuts: May 16 2011
If you would like to comment about any of these articles, or if you are aware of any others that we do not have displayed here, please leave a comment below for us.
Coverage of the crisis we are facing with these cuts to psychological services has received the strongest response from media over radio networks. Although spokespeople for the Government and those behind the policy reforms have used radio interviews to broadcast misleading messages at times, the fact that the issue has been raised to the public is encouraging. We hope to see more interviews and articles in print media, to make the public more aware of the serious impact of these cuts. To date, here are the radio interviews that we are aware about that have been aired across Australia:
ABC Radio National: The Health Report, Better Access Report 21 March 2011
ABC News Radio: Doctors Attack Mental Health ‘Penny-Pinching’ 11 May 2011
ABC News Radio: McGorry backs budget's mental health initiatives 11 May 2011
ABC News Radio: Psychologists fear fallout from Medicare cuts 28 May 2011
ABC Radio 720 Perth: Rebates reduced for mental health services 30 May 2011
ABC News Radio: Fears Medicare changes will hurt flood victims 14 June 2011
ABC Radio National: Life Matters: Better Access to Mental Health 21 June 2011
ABC News Radio: Senate to review mental health service funding 24 June 2011
ABC Radio National: Life Matters: Mark Butler, Minister for Health and Ageing 28 June 2011
3CR: Women on the Line 17 Oct 2011
ABC Radio National: Reassessing Better Access for Mental Health 29 Oct 2011
ABC Local Radio: Funding reshuffle divides mental health community 4 Nov 2011
If you would like to comment on any of these articles or if you are aware of more radio interviews about this issue, please leave a comment below.
