The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) Queensland Branch says the State Government's 2025-26 Budget continues to fall short of addressing critical gaps in the state's mental health system, despite having access to substantial revenue from the mental health levy. 

Professor Brett Emmerson AM, Chair of the RANZCP Queensland Branch, says the budget does not contain the scale of investment needed to fix the state’s mental health workforce shortage. 

Since 2022, the mental health levy has raised far more than the originally projected $1.6 billion over five years. Yet we remain concerned about the limited transparency from the Government about how this money is being spent and the lack of investment in growing the mental health workforce 

"The Government needs to be upfront with Queenslanders about where every dollar of the mental health levy is going and ensure it is invested in what communities actually need – more mental health beds, community services, and critically, growing our mental health workforce. 

“Workforce shortages continue to bite and bring the mental health system to its knees in parts of the state. While we welcome some key mental health investments, including perinatal mental health beds and youth mental health services, we're deeply disappointed there's no concrete plan to grow the mental health workforce we desperately need.  

“Queensland requires nearly double its current mental health funding to proportionately address the impact of mental health and substance use disorders in the state, which currently account for 15% of Australia’s total disease burden. 

Queensland still has a severe shortage of mental health beds. The recent closure of Toowong Private Hospital has made the crisis more urgent, with around 3,000 patients annually – including veterans with PTSD – now having nowhere to turn except the already overstretched public system. 

“Private hospitals provide nearly one-third of Australia's acute mental health beds. When they close, that pressure lands squarely on public emergency departments and mental health units that are already at breaking point,” Prof Emmerson said. 

“Queensland’s population is going to double in the next 25 years. New federal workforce data released just last week shows Queensland already faces a severe and worsening psychiatrist shortage. The workforce crisis will only get worse if governments don't act now. 

The Psychiatry Supply and Demand Study found Queensland has a critical unmet workforce demand gap of 138.2 full-time equivalent psychiatrists, projected to grow to 229.4 FTE by 2048 – a 66% increase over 25 years. 

"Beyond psychiatrists, Queensland also needs more community mental health workers, including psychologists, nurses and allied health staff. So, while we welcome the investment in 4,500 health workers today, there remains a lack of comprehensive workforce data to guide planning,” Prof Emmerson said. 

"Workforce shortages are literally putting lives at risk. Too many Queenslanders with moderate to severe mental health conditions are falling through the cracks because help is too far away, too expensive, too long a wait or simply unavailable. 

"If the Government doesn't act now to address these workforce shortages, unmet mental health needs will continue to grow, in numbers, severity and complexity.” 

Professor Emmerson said the situation is particularly dire in rural and remote Queensland, where mental health services are often non-existent. 

"We have the money through the mental health levy – what we need now is the political will to spend it on the kind of mental health system Queenslanders actually need and deserve," Professor Emmerson said. 

The RANZCP welcomed a number of key mental health investments announced in the Budget today:

• Two new Step-Up, Step-Down youth mental health services
• New perinatal mental health beds in Townsville
• Emergency Department triaging with specialist mental health nurses to help streamline mental health patients to in-patient wards
• Investment in 4,500 health workers including doctors, nurses and paramedics in 2025–26
  
  

ENQUIRIES: For more information, or to arrange an interview call Dishi Gahlowt on +61 437 315 911 or email media@ranzcp.org.  

The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists is a membership organisation that prepares medical specialists in the field of psychiatry, supports and enhances clinical practice, advocates for people affected by mental illness and advises governments and other groups on mental health care. For information about our work, our members or our history, visit www.ranzcp.org. 

In Australia: If you or someone you know needs help, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or www.lifeline.org.au or the Suicide Callback Service on 1300 659 467 or www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au. 

In New Zealand: If you or someone you know needs help, contact Lifeline NZ on 0800 543 354 or www.lifeline.org.nz or the Suicide Crisis Helpline on 0508 828 865 or www.lifeline.org.nz/suicide-prevention.