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Release of National Report Card 2025: Environmental Scan
The National Report Card 2025: Environmental Scan gives an overview of major events and new or continuing trends in 2025 that may have influenced the mental health and wellbeing of people in Australia.
Date published:
The National Mental Health Commission (the Commission) has today published the National Report Card 2025: Environmental Scan (the environmental scan).
The scan highlights the need for the system to rebalance towards a preventative approach. Supporting and improving mental health outcomes is not achieved through the health system alone.
The environmental scan comes ahead of the National Report Card 2025, which reports on the performance of Australia’s mental health system.
The findings of the environmental scan reinforce that mental health outcomes are shaped by housing, education, employment, social services, justice, technology and climate policy.
CEO of the Commission, David McGrath, said, "Improving mental health and wellbeing in Australia will require more than simply expanding mental health services. Cost-of-living pressures and housing stress continued to place sustained strain on individuals and households."
The environmental scan also saw new shifts in potential psychosocial hazards including growing concerns around technology, especially social media and AI.
Young people were disproportionately affected by these pressures, alongside their experiences of loneliness and workplace burnout, driving a reduced optimism about the future.
The environmental scan also found that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are often disproportionately impacted and experienced intensified racism, placing record demand on mental health supports.
Mr McGrath said a planned, prevention-focused approach is needed. Current responsibilities remain fragmented across portfolios and jurisdictions.
"Reform needs to be coordinated, measurable and sustained. There is a need for a unifying framework to align planning, priorities, investment and outcomes."
This was highlighted by the Productivity Commission’s review of the National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Agreement.
Mr McGrath said improving mental health and wellbeing in Australia will require a coordinated, whole-of-government approach. Earlier action is needed to address the conditions contributing to mental health challenges.
“We need to see a purposeful change approach to reform that shifts how the system plans, invests and measures, while recognising the wider determinants shaping mental health and wellbeing,” Mr McGrath said.
The Commission acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the lands and waters on which we live, work and learn.
Diversity
The Commission is committed to embracing diversity and eliminating all forms of discrimination in the provision of health services. The Commission welcomes all people irrespective of ethnicity, lifestyle choice, faith, sexual orientation and gender identity.
Lived Experience
We acknowledge the individual and collective contributions of those with a lived and living experience of mental ill-health and suicide, and those who love, have loved and care for them. Each person’s journey is unique and a valued contribution to Australia’s commitment to mental health suicide prevention systems reform.
