Australia continues to face high levels of mental health need, while access to support remains uneven across the country, according to the National Mental Health Commission’s National Report Card 2025.
The annual report brings together data on mental health outcomes, the factors that influence wellbeing and the performance of services supporting people experiencing mental health challenges. The Commission uses the report as its key mechanism for monitoring Australia’s mental health system.
The 2025 findings point to persistent levels of psychological distress. Around 14.9 per cent of people aged 15 and over experienced high psychological distress, while 9.2 per cent experienced very high psychological distress, according to the report.
People living with a mental health condition were five times more likely to experience very high psychological distress than those without a mental health condition.
Commission CEO David McGrath said people experiencing mental health challenges continued to report lower life satisfaction and higher levels of loneliness, discrimination and financial stress than the broader population.
“While there has been more investment in mental health services and more people are using available support, the benefits are not being shared equally across the community,” Mr McGrath said.
Access remains closely linked to people’s circumstances and location. The Commission says where someone lives and their financial situation can influence whether they are able to access the support they need.
Workforce shortages and gaps in available data are also affecting the system’s ability to respond effectively, according to the Commission. These issues can make it harder to identify where services are falling short and where improvements are needed.
The report also points to factors outside the health system that can affect mental health and wellbeing. Financial pressure, housing insecurity, discrimination and the level of support available within communities can all influence people’s experiences.
The findings come against a backdrop of broader concerns about the affordability of mental health care. The Commission’s previous National Report Card found that 20.4 per cent of people in 2023-24 had delayed or did not see a health professional for their own mental health because of cost.
The Commission says prevention, service improvements, workforce growth and better data could help strengthen the mental health system. It has called for reform to be guided by evidence as well as information from people with lived and living experience of mental health challenges.
Mr McGrath said a long-term vision would be needed as governments consider the future direction of the system.
“That vision must be guided by data and insights from people with lived and living experience and what they tell us about need, access and outcomes,” he said.
The timing of the report is also relevant to Australia’s national policy framework. The National Agreement on Mental Health and Suicide Prevention is due to expire on 1 July 2027, giving governments an opportunity to consider the next phase of national cooperation on mental health and suicide prevention.
The Commission says future editions of the National Report Card will continue to develop as new data becomes available and emerging issues receive greater attention. Its existing reporting framework is intended to provide a consistent, data-driven view of how Australia’s mental health system is performing.
The report does not point to a single cause behind Australia’s mental health challenges. Instead, its findings highlight the interaction between service access, financial circumstances, housing, social conditions, workforce capacity and the availability of reliable data.
For governments, service providers and communities, the figures provide another measure of where pressure remains within the system. The next challenge will be translating that evidence into services and policies that people can access when they need them, regardless of where they live or their financial circumstances.
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