News Australia: Petition For Better Access

[anthony]

This guys a nut job... I wouldn't expect a great deal of anything sensible from him.

 

[Nicolas Connault]

Everyone suffering from a mental illness should be aware of the current changes happening in Australia, especially the cutting down of funding for the Better Access initiative. I belong to a very active Facebook group (www dot facebook dot com/groups/GetBOMHC) whose members have played a critical role in lobbying politicians and making the issue more public in the media. Ben Mullings from Curtin University is the main force behind the movement, and he has put together a website designed to tell people's stories (betteraccess dot net). I invite everyone to take a look, and if you can, to take an active part by contributing in any way you can. These two sites have a list of things people can do (none of which is financial) to fight back and give back to mental illness the status it deserves: equal in importance to physical illness.

In a nutshell, the fight has only just started. Psychologists and their clients are all in real jeopardy right now due to a corrupt government that is trying to copy the US system of public health care to line their own pockets at the expense of people's health.

 

[Ephraile]

That's right Nicolas. The government is trying to push through the changes but with the help of the Senate we should be able to get them to repeal the decision. I have been lobbying like mad and have had some good feedback from some of the Senators but if we must voice our concerns to the right people or the Government will get their way. This system has been so helpful to me and many others in my rural community, I'm flabbergasted at their arrogance and misinformation being sent over the media. Rant over.

 

[anthony]

Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/GetBOMHC/
Campaign website: http://betteraccess.net/
Petition website (over 6,000 signatures already, ranked #7 worldwide and #1 in Australia): http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/better-access-to-psychologists.html

 

[Nicolas Connault]

Thanks Anthony! The ranking of this petition is constantly shifting, so these figures are out of date now.

 

[Ephraile]

thanks for that Petition signed.