People function better when daily activities are meaningful to them. Our party is focused on policies which help people aspire and reach their potential. We will help Australians connect better with each other, their community, and the world around them. Other parties simplify issues of this kind down to a matter of providing basic education and work opportunities. Our party understands that context matters. For opportunity to be fully realised, policy must factor in the specific needs of people across different situations.

We’d like to see a society where the notion of ‘a fair go’ is not simply about the competitive forces of a free-market economy, or addressing conflict between classes in society. We stand outside of the traditional ideologies of left and right, looking instead towards the position that we must place value on human beings if we are going to improve Australian society. To us, the idea of a fair go is about recognising the value of all people who live in our society.

If elected, we will push for policies that strengthen the efforts of people to improve their lives. Our party will look at the systems which affect people as they go from one stage of life to the next – from childhood, to youth, and adulthood; from living alone to starting a family; from working life to retirement, finding purpose and meaning in later age. We will develop constructive policies to better manage the transitions people face between the major institutions of society. These transitions begin with providing safety for children around their adjustments between school, home life, and interactions with wider society. We will support veterans to adjust back to civilian life. We will push for better management of people when they are released from prison, to assist in that critical early period of adjustment, to help them start making a positive contribution to our society. Importantly, we will also develop policies which help people move from hospital-based care back to living in the community again.

When people find a better way of living and feel valued for their contributions, it not only helps them personally, but it ultimately makes our whole society better. The return on investment is clear for better policy across domains like these.  Investing here will not only will we see reduced expenses at the more critical and costly areas, but will also lead to far greater long-terms gains for the Australian population. A vote for the Australian Mental Health Party is a vote for a more meaningful society which values people.