It’s surprising to hear so little about mental health in the election campaign, given that Australia’s community has shown a demonstrated commitment to mental health.

The commitment of Abbott is modest. It matches the announcement made by the Rudd Government late Thursday night to increase the number of new Headspace sites from 90 to 100 across Australia. Headspace is aimed at people between the ages of 12 and 25 with mental health issues.

Abbott promised A$18m to create a national centre of excellence for youth health and A$5m in partnership with the Young & Well Cooperative Research Centre for a comprehensive mental health platform. Australia is a leader in the development of tools that help people manage mental health issues using the Internet.

Abbott has also stated that there will be no further cuts to mental healthcare funding.

The Rudd Government announced funding of A$34m to increase the number of headspace centers, A$9m in order to expand LifeLine’s service, and A$40m towards workplace mental health initiatives.

The Greens are the only policy that has substantial financial commitments, totaling A$1.1 billion. The money will be split between rural mental initiatives (A$552.6m), and broader investments in mental health nurses and research (A$547.4m).

Why have the major parties failed to invest in mental health and impress the Australian electorate? In 2010, King’s College conducted an international study that showed Australians are most concerned about four major issues: the economy, climate changes, mental health, and ageing.

What happened before

The 2010 election campaign placed a greater emphasis on mental illness than in recent weeks. Tony Abbott was the leader of that campaign, promising A$1.5 billion for a comprehensive early intervention specialist service program for young Australians.

Former Prime Minister Julia Gillard designated mental health as the second-term priority of her government, and appointed Mark Butler both to represent mental health and aging (later promoting this position to cabinet).

The Gillard government established the National Mental Health Commission, and COAG was asked to consider national targets and reforms over a 10-year period. It committed A$2.2bn over five years for a new set of service initiatives that focused on both people with existing illness and improving early intervention services.

Despite lengthy negotiations between Commonwealth and state governments, no new centre for early psychosis interventions has opened.

Sunghwan Yoon: The next government must move beyond the simple belief that goodwill can bring about mental health reform and effective suicide prevention. Sunghwan Yoon

Our current problems are a result of the ongoing divisions in responsibilities and the arguments over who should pay for the reform.

Headspace Youth Services has yet to demonstrate its ability to create sustainable service platforms which are linked to state-based emergency services and specialists.

Headspace services are in desperate need of professionals, peers, and family-based workers. The funding mechanisms required to provide appropriate medical, mental, specialist, and vocational services.

E-mental healthcare remains a cottage business, despite the fact that it can reach many people who do not want to engage with traditional services. State government specialist mental health services in the community are likely to be further impacted by new funding mechanisms that will push more money into hospitals starting in 2014/15.

What is needed?

Mental health is bipartisan at the highest levels of government, but it runs the risk of being neglected once more.

Other areas of health receive new funding. Think of Labor’s commitment to a rebuild of the Western Sydney Hospitalnew initiatives for cancer care and the Liberal Party investing A$200m in dementia-research, as well as increased support of access to medicines.

Both parties seem to have a mental health plan for the election, but they don’t feel the need to spend any new money.

The Coalition’s announcement at least contains a hint that they may be interested to restructure existing arrangements in a more radical way. The first Rudd Government really messed up in this area. It failed to fund mental health services in the community during the 2010 negotiations for health reform.

Tony Abbott suggested that the National Mental Health Commission review the effectiveness of existing programs. The sector has called for an investigation in the style of a productivity commission into the funding and service arrangements that are divided between the Commonwealth, States, and Community Sector. This results in many people getting duplicate services or none at all.

The next government must move beyond the simple belief that only good will can bring about mental health reform and effective suicide prevention.

Early intervention and eHealth have great potential. Change will only come about with Commonwealth-state coordination and cooperation, as well as independent reporting on outcomes every year.

The commitment to expanding community-based services, and not hospital-based ones, is crucial.

The performance of our new government over the next three-year period should not be judged on the thin promises made during this election campaign, but rather on its ability to implement real reforms in this important area of economic, social and health policy.