The Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission's report on Victoria's mental health reforms has been heavily criticized for its delayed release and significant revisions. The original report, presented in December 2025, found that only 54 out of 270 promised reforms had been completed. However, by the time it was published in June 2026, the report had been rewritten, with its judging criteria changed, ratings improved, and critical findings removed. This has raised concerns about the government's influence over the report's content and the independence of bodies meant to hold the government accountable.
The report's author, former Commissioner Annabel Brebner, expressed doubts about the credibility of the re-worked findings, stating that the initial method emphasized transparency and the reliability of the assessments. She also mentioned not having contacted the MHWC or sought an explanation for the dramatic changes. The delay in the report's release and the reworking have led to criticism and fears of a stalled overhaul of the mental health sector.
The report's original draft, leaked to the Department of Health and stakeholders, revealed significant changes favoring the government's position. Strong concerns about budget cuts, lack of evidence, and stakeholder refusal to work with the Department of Health were removed from the final version. The report's ratings were also adjusted, with four sub-recommendations relating to Aboriginal social and emotional wellbeing reforms upgraded from 'partial progress' to 'in place', and a sentence about budget cuts removed.
The MHWC's leadership was also changed, with the four independent commissioners replaced by a single commissioner appointed by the Minister for Mental Health, Ingrid Stitt. This move was seen as a blow to the commission's independence and its ability to monitor the failing sector. The government's budget cuts and staff reductions further undermined the commission's effectiveness.
The changes in the report's content and the delay in its release have sparked concerns about transparency and accountability. Clancy Moore, CEO of Transparency International Australia, criticized the government's rewriting and delaying of the report, emphasizing the importance of independent bodies in good governance. The MHWC's response, claiming the report was updated with departmental information, did not address the concerns raised by Brebner and other sources.
This incident highlights the challenges in maintaining the independence of bodies meant to hold the government accountable. The MHWC's report, intended to provide an independent assessment of the government's performance on mental health, has been compromised, raising questions about the reliability of its findings and the effectiveness of the mental health reform process.
