Over a dozen organisations sign open letter opposing cuts to Victoria’s mental health services

A bill currently before parliament will decrease the number of commissioners from four to one.

Matthew Sims & Jacob Wallace
March 03, 2026

Australian health organisations are concerned the quality of Victoria’s mental health services could be on the chopping block as the government looks for $4 billion in savings.

❓ What happened: More than a dozen organisations have signed an open letter to the Victorian government opposing changes to the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission (MHWC), which oversees feedback and complaints to the state’s mental health services.

✍️ The changes: As part of a review to find $4 billion in government savings, a bill has been put before parliament that will cut the number of commissioners from four to one and remove the requirement that its leadership include people who have been impacted by mental illness.

The bill will also remove the ability for the commission to access information about the 2021 Royal Commission recommendations.

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👂 What is the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission? The independent authority commenced operating in September 2023.

The establishment of the commission was a key recommendation of the 2021 Royal Commission into Victoria's Mental Health System.

✉️ The open letter: A jointly signed letter from leading Victorian mental health organisations and advocacy groups pushed back against the proposed changes.

🗣️ “These roles were not symbolic. They were structural safeguards designed to ensure reform did not drift back to decisions being made about people, rather than with them,” the letter said.

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😣 Struggling support networks in South Yarra: Mental Health Foundation Australia (MHFA) has operated the Wellness Hub Psychology Clinic in South Yarra since 2021, now supporting more than 2,000 people per year with sessions at $30 for 50 minutes.

However, MHFA chief executive Vasan Srinivasan said the organisation received little support from the government – $98,000 towards its annual budget of about $500,000.

🗣️“We beg and borrow every day,” Srinivasan told the Eastern Melburnian. “The system is struggling and Parliament is not willing to contribute. The bill is not going to change anything.”

Amongst the organisations that signed the letter were: The Victorian Mental Illness Awareness Council, Tandem, the Self Help Addiction Resource Centre, the Health and Community Services Union, Mind Australia, the National Mental Health Consumer Alliance, Each, and Youth Support + Advocacy Service.