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Thirty-three years after the landmark Burdekin Report exposed serious human rights failures in Australia's mental health system, how much has really changed? On 20 October, ASoP CEO Dr Pramudie Gunaratne joined a panel discussion on mental health and human rights at NSW Parliament House. Hosted by BEING and Greens MP Jenny Leong, Our Care, Our Rights brought together Jemima Isbester (Neami National), Sharon Grocott (WayAhead) and Tim Roberts (NSW Council for Civil Liberties),

On 8 October 2026, Mindgardens Neuroscience Network hosted a Psychosis Forum at the UNSW Health Translation Hub to explore a shared vision for better psychosis care in NSW. The forum featured NSW Mental Health Minister Rose Jackson, NSW Chief Psychiatrist Dr Brendan Flynn, Prof. Kimberlie Dean (Head of the School of Psychiatry at UNSW Sydney) and De Backman-Hoyle (Mental Health Carers Australia), and leading researchers including Prof. Melissa Green and Prof. Vaughan Carr. A

The unprecedented psychiatry workforce crisis in NSW was a turning point for Australian mental healthcare. More than 200 public psychiatrists submitted their resignations, bringing longstanding concerns about workforce shortages, under-resourcing and patient care into sharp national focus. It was also part of the genesis of the Australian Society of Psychiatrists (ASoP). Many of the psychiatrists who led calls for change during the crisis went on to establish ASoP, united by

A recent Sydney Morning Herald investigation has highlighted the growing pressure on NSW's mental health system after a senior clinician at St Vincent's Hospital asked a Sydney court to stop sending patients to its overwhelmed emergency department. At the time, 17 mental health patients were in the emergency department, including 15 waiting for admission to already-full psychiatric units and two who had been there for 10 days. Australian Society of Psychiatrists (ASoP) CEO Dr

A long-awaited NSW Government report on gaps in mental health services has raised important questions about how we measure — and report — unmet need. As reported in The Sydney Morning Herald, the report did not identify individual Local Health Districts or show how much unmet need there was in each area. Instead, districts were compared with the NSW average, rather than with a target based on how much care their communities actually need. ASoP Director Prof. Steve Kisely ques

It was wonderful to see a sold-out evening in Melbourne for ASoP's State by State event: Psychiatrists and the Media. The evening brought psychiatrists together for a thoughtful and interesting conversation about psychiatry, the media and how we talk publicly about mental health. The discussion was lively, but what stood out most was the engagement in the room. There were different perspectives and plenty of debate, but also a strong sense of common purpose: we all want bette

Cannabis has become increasingly normalised in Australia — both recreationally and as a medicine. But important new research is adding to the evidence about its relationship with psychosis. ASoP member Prof. Matthew Large and colleagues at UNSW Medicine & Health analysed 149 studies involving more than 70,000 people and found cannabis use was associated with an earlier onset of psychosis. The effect became more pronounced with age, suggesting cumulative exposure may progressi

ASoP has joined leading NSW mental health lived experience, carer and sector organisations — alongside Elizabeth Young, whose daughter Jade was killed in the Bondi Junction attack — in calling for concrete action following the NSW Government's response to the coronial inquest. The joint advocacy, featured by ABC News, welcomed the Government's support for most of the Coroner's recommendations, but warned that "in principle" commitments on critical reforms — including supporte

The NSW Government's response to the Bondi Junction coronial inquest — and the gaps that remain — received prominent coverage in The Sydney Morning Herald this week, with ASoP featuring in the newspaper's lead story. The Government has accepted 11 of the Coroner's 13 recommendations in full, but offered only in-principle support for a key recommendation addressing short- and long-term supported accommodation for people experiencing mental illness and homelessness. ASoP CEO D

ASoP CEO Dr Pramudie Gunaratne joined ABC Drive with Thomas Oriti to discuss the NSW Government's reforms to mental health crisis response, including the new Virtual Mental Health Hub and greater involvement of health professionals in responding to Triple Zero calls. Dr Gunaratne welcomed the investment and the shift away from police being the default response to mental health emergencies, while emphasising that the success of the reforms will depend on what happens beyond th

ASoP has welcomed the NSW Government's t announcement of new funding to support health engagement in crisis response. Speaking to The Guardian, ASoP CEO Dr Pramudie Gunaratne described the reform as "a stronger front door into the mental health system" but cautioned that crisis reform must be backed by investment in ongoing care. “A front door is only useful if there's a house behind it.” “Without enough community mental health services, people will still find themselves stuc

ASoP contributed to today's front page story of The Daily Telegraph examining the tragic alleged murder of Sydney grandfather Quang My Pham. Our thoughts remain with Mr Pham's family and loved ones who have suffered an enormous loss. In speaking with The Daily Telegraph, ASoP CEO Dr Pramudie Gunaratne emphasised the importance of looking beyond the events of a single day and asking whether there were missed opportunities for treatment and support before the tragedy occurred.

ASoP members expressed concerns regarding the involvement of the Presidents of both the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) and the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) in a planned political fundraising event associated with the Australian Labor Party. The event was subsequently cancelled prior to taking place following concerns raised by members. On 1 July 2026, ASoP and the National Associatio

ASoP and BEING Mental Health Consumers were recently featured in a Sydney Morning Herald article examining the growing pressures on NSW's mental health system. The article highlighted concerns about poor access to community mental health care and the increasing demand on emergency departments. The article also covered calls from a coalition of 21 health, mental health and justice organisations for the public release of the NSW Government's Mental Health Gap Analysis to help i

This week, the Australian Society of Psychiatrists (ASoP) was proud to represent psychiatry at Parliament House in Canberra, participating in a national roundtable on access and quality in healthcare convened by Avant Mutual. The discussion brought together health leaders from across the specialties, policymakers and parliamentarians, including The Hon. Mark Butler, Federal Minister for Health and Ageing, to tackle one of the biggest challenges facing the Australian health sy

ASoP CEO Dr Pramudie Gunaratne joined ABC Radio's Mornings with Hamish Macdonald, stepping in for Dr Norman Swan's regular health segment. The conversation explored the impact of social media on mental health, along with listener questions about the challenges many Australians face in accessing timely and appropriate mental health care. Listen to the full interview below.

ASoP was delighted to launch our State by State listening tour in Brisbane with an open and constructive discussion about the challenges and opportunities facing psychiatry today. It was fantastic to see the room full of Brisbane and Gold Coast psychiatrists, with strong engagement from clinicians working across public and private practice, subspecialty services and different career stages. The discussion covered a wide range of issues important to psychiatrists and the patie

Hear ASoP Director Sarah Logan speak on ABC The World Today about the harrowing police brutality against people living with mental illness shown on Four Corners last night.

Psychiatrists: a mental health crisis should be met with care, not force. The Australian Society of Psychiatrists (ASoP) has expressed deep concern following the ABC Four Corners investigation Brutal Force which aired tonight and exposed confronting incidents involving people experiencing acute mental illness during interactions with police. The program highlights the urgent need to strengthen Australia's response to mental health crises and ensure that people experiencing se

ASoP hosted 'Psychiatrists and the Coroner: Understanding the Coronial Process', an educational webinar exploring one of the most challenging professional experiences many psychiatrists will face. Coronial investigations and inquests can be complex, emotionally demanding and professionally significant. The webinar provided practical guidance on navigating the coronial system, understanding professional accountability and preparing for participation in coronial proceedings. To