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- Our message of hope was impossible to miss in Canberra in mid-April - written large in 4,000 candles on the lawns of Parliament House. Each candle featured a personal dedication from GetUp member -- and together they spelled out our message: "Fund hope for mental health." Check out this video to see the candles and the media coverage they created, from ABC's 730 to 7's Sunrise.

- Last Wednesday we ran a full page newspaper ad, featuring thousands of photos submitted by GetUp members, called on the Government to deliver more funding for mental health. The evening news ran images of our ad, and reporters directly asked Julia Gillard to respond.

- Channel 10 reported that mental health funding may be the centrepiece spending initiative in the upcoming Federal Budget. Click below to watch the story:

Mental illness affects over four million Australians every year. Mental illness is estimated to cost the Australian economy around $30b each year.

Mental health is allocated 6% of the health care budget, but represents at least 13% of the health care burden.

Every day:

- 330 Australians presented to Emergency Departments with serious mental illnesses are turned away with less than 1 in 15 referred to any other service;

- Over 1,200 Australians are refused admission to a public or private psychiatric unit;

- At least 7 people die as a result of suicide in Australia, with more than a third involving people discharged too early and/or without care following hospitalisation; and

- Another 180 Australians attempt suicide and of these 84 are hospitalised.

- New accountability in mental health service provision including the establishment of a new mental health commission

- New services for children and young people including early intervention psychosis services and a national rollout of Headspace centres

- An integration of community services including housing support programs and better services to support those suffering from mental ill health enter the workforce (which is especially important in the context of the Government's announcement of a tightening of the Disability Support Pension mental health eligibility requirements)

- More collaboration in the way mental health services are delivered

- The application of new technology in mental health service provision including a National E-Centre for young people, enhanced suicide prevention work online and better payment services that would allow service providers to use new technology where appropriate in supporting those suffering mental ill health

- An investment in strategic research and development including evaluation of early intervention models

- An increase in funding and support to get more mental health nurses into the system

- Support to help families navigate their way through mental health services

- Services for early (pre-adolescence) identification

- Better acute services for those suffering severe mental ill health.