Mental health organisation Beyond Blue has called for mental health and wellbeing to feature strongly in the Federal Government’s Measuring What Matters Statement, Australia’s first national framework on wellbeing, which will be released later this year.

To provide a holistic view of the community’s wellbeing, the Treasury states, the Statement will assess progress on social and environmental indicators alongside traditional economic measures such as productivity and growth.

In its submission, Beyond Blue states that mental health is central to overall wellbeing and national prosperity.

Beyond Blue recommends that the national framework includes mental health and wellbeing indicators to better measure overall wellbeing, because our mental health affects the way we live.

Georgie Harman, Beyond Blue’s CEO, said the framework was a chance to consider how social conditions influence our mental health and wellbeing.

“The framework must include ways to measure and better understand how employment, housing, racism, discrimination, and social inequality impact people’s mental health and wellbeing in Australia,” Ms Harman said.

“And it must be based on thorough consultation with communities, especially those experiencing mental health conditions and suicidal thoughts, and people impacted by homelessness, unemployment, racism, and poverty.

“Good wellbeing frameworks explore questions not usually asked by governments.

“Our submission argues that the measurement of wellbeing cannot simply be a ‘spray on’ collection of data on existing activity, but should be a carefully considered strategy that measures the foundations of wellbeing – such as financial distress, social isolation, and discrimination.”

Beyond Blue also recommends that the Federal Government commit to meaningful long-term change by embedding the framework into future decision-making processes, as New Zealand and France have done.

“The framework has the potential to lead to more informed and transparent policy-making that drives positive, healthy intergenerational change,” Ms Harman said.

“Done right, the government’s framework will help guide efforts to prevent mental health issues, reduce their impacts, and ensure evidence-informed decisions help target funding towards actions that improve health equity.”

Beyond Blue Support Service: 1300 22 4636 or beyondblue.org.au/getsupport