The 2024­-25 budget season kicked off in Australia with the Victorian Budget 2024-25 on 7 May. While it acknowledged the impact of workforce shortages on the delivery of mental health care, the Government announced little to grow that workforce. The Victorian Branch welcomed a number of measures but has called on governments to invest more in developing the psychiatry and broader mental health workforce.

The Western Australia Budget 2024-25 on 9 May featured several initiatives, including 550 additional hospital beds, and $76 million allocated to the Mental Health Commission, but the issue of workforce was left largely unaddressed.

The Australian Federal Budget 2024-25 was released on 14 May and fell short of making investments to address workforce shortages. Positive announcements were the extension of the Military and Veterans Psychiatry Training Program for another year, new funding for the co-design of models of care for mental health services for young Australians

On the same day, the Northern Territory Budget 2024-25 was brought down. It was a disappointing to see funding for mental health missing, but the Northern Territory Branch did welcome $107 million of upgrades to Royal Darwin Hospital, including a mental health stabilisation assessment and referral unit and expansion of the mental health inpatient unit.

Tu Te Akaaka Roa, the New Zealand National Committee, cited disappointment over the New Zealand Budget 2024 released on 30 May. The New Zealand Government failed to meet its pre-election promise to fund 13 additional psychiatry training positions. Serious mental illness, including addiction, costs New Zealand $12 billion annually, but we are yet to see any meaningful new investment to address this.

The only mental health specific measure in the South Australian Budget 2024-25 announced on 6 June was $5 million over four years to support youth mental health services. primarily virtual urgent care services. While welcomed, the South Australian Branch expressed disappointment over the missed opportunity to address workforce issues.

The 11 June Queensland Budget 2024-25 made several welcome commitments, including $156.1 million to deliver better mental health, alcohol and drugs services, and a number of new mental health beds at three regional hospitals. There were a number of other positives, including $44 million over four years for a new state-wide adult forensic examination model of care, $500 million in the Putting Queensland Kids First plan, and the Queensland Women and Girls’ Health Strategy 2032, which includes mental health as a priority. But the Branch was critical of the new Health Workforce Strategy for Queensland to 2032, which makes no mention of psychiatrists or mental health workers.

Just ahead of its 18 June New South Wales Budget 2024-25, the NSW Government announced a $111.8 million funding package (over 4 years) to support community mental health and wellbeing, including $30.4 million to expand community mental health teams, $40 million for alternatives to long-term hospital care for people with complex and persistent mental illness, and $39 million for an expanded mental health phone service, providing free advice from specialist clinicians. The Budget provided no further mental health funding commitments. 

On 26 June, the Australian Capital Territory Budget 2024-25 allocated funding for a range of existing and new mental health initiatives, including crisis response, targeted youth services, community support programs, housing provision, holistic care models, and transitional support for vulnerable populations. Other initiatives included three new community health centers. However, there was little in the budget for psychiatric services and the psychiatry workforce.

Due to the state election in March, the release of the Tasmanian Budget has been delayed until September, which will mark the end of budget season for another year.