As the 2025 federal election approaches, this paper focuses on actionable, evidence-based steps a newly elected government can take to address the drivers of escalating mental health issues in the Australian population. It provides three goals which encompass ten evidence-based recommendations.

The policy paper Building mentally healthy futures: Australian youth recovery plan, released in 2022, put forward eight evidence-based policy recommendations addressing three primary drivers of the disproportionate mental health burden on young Australians: economic inequalities, social disconnection and lack of access to quality mental health services. 

In light of the compounding effects of additional economic and social crises in recent years, the critical need has been identified to take stock of progress made against the original policy paper recommendations, re-examine the evidence and issue a renewed call for policy action. 

Key goals

1. Address the economic drivers of mental health.
2. Address the social drivers of mental health.
3. Improve access to high quality, timely mental health treatment.