This Is My Brave Australia Inc.

23/08/2026

09/08/2026

But will they listen this time?

"The systems are worst than the people, the institutions are crueler than the people who staff them, cruelty is always systemic before it is individual.... it is time for the system and the administrative triad to be held accountable for their incompetence and maladministration...............so the Parliament that will demand competence, hand over, accountability and humility from a broken sector, I will say what only what has been said before, by all means........but you first mate!!"

Thank you Claire-Louise McCraken🙏

09/08/2026

05/08/2026

This Is My Brave Australia is proud to be a finalist in the Wayahead - Mental Health Association NSW 2026 Mental Health Matters Awards for our event The Great Lakes Mental Health Film Festival 2025 in Forster NSW. Thanks to the local support from Great Lakes Su***de Prevention Network. Winners will be announced Friday 25th September at the Four Seasons Hotel Sydney.

The Great Lakes Advocate Forster Tuncurry Business Chamber

31/07/2026

You can listen to the Beyond The Cuckoo's Nest podcast of the Evolve HUB Launch Forster NSW 28/07/26 here on SoundCloud by This Is My Brave Australia.

Interviews with Tanya Thompson MP Myall Lakes, Corinne Stephenson Forster Neighborhood Centre, Brad Dunn CEO Lake Macquarie and Newcastle Su***de Prevention Network and Ann Maxwell MH social worker and Great Lakes Su***de Prevention Network committee member.

This Is My Brave Australia is dedicated to breaking the stigma surrounding mental illness one story at a time. Our podcasts are stories from the community of lived experience of mental illness and rec

30/07/2026

TIMBA spoke with Tanya Thompson MP for Myall Lakes at the launch of the Evolve Mental Health Hub in Forster/Tuncurry NSW. With no dedicated walk in MH facility in the local area the Hub, part of the Forster Neighborhood Centre, is vital for early intervention for those who need support and understanding with their mental health.

Tanya Thompson National MP for Myall Lakes talks about the launch o...

04/07/2026

“Mental crises aren’t a crime,” said BEING Mental Health Consumers chief executive Giancarlo de Vera.

De Vera pointed to the 52 people in mental health crisis who were killed by police in the five years to 2023, and the variable risk of police escalating a situation, rather than providing support.

Carly Richardson “I felt like a criminal just for being unwell. It was really dehumanising. I didn’t feel like a person anymore – I just felt like an animal.”

More than 20 organisations have demanded action on a mental health system they say is not functioning.

03/07/2026

The reason that TIMBA exists is to fight against stigma and discrimination of mental health consumers. Many think that stigma has reduced but this new report shows the opposite. Part of the problem is that mental health funding is funneled through a top down process where those doing great work on a grass roots community embedded level are lucky to see any money even though they have a very important position in increasing awareness. Though spreading awareness is not seen as crucial it is instrumental in early prevention to take the pressure off critical care areas such as hospitals and GP's. Lets hope this report goes a way to reverse this.

The inaugural 2026 National Stigma and Discrimination Report Card was launched today by the National Mental Health Commission and SANE in Canberra with Emma McBride MP, federal Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Su***de Prevention. The aim of the Report Card is to establish a baseline for measuring progress in reducing stigma.

The report details that despite increased public awareness, 70% of Australians with mental health challenges still experience discrimination, highlighting a critical gap between societal awareness and behavioral change. The findings, drawn from a survey of over 6,000 Australians, include several hard-hitting metrics:

OVERALL - 68% of respondents said dealing with stigma and discrimination was worse than managing their actual mental health condition.
AT WORK - 43% of people felt their employer did not understand the impact of their mental health with 36% being denied opportunities as a result.
HOUSING - 78% of consumers report discrimination when looking for somewhere to live.

Click to read the report in full https://bit.ly/4vKLDCo.

SANE CEO Rachel Green explained that the situation won't improve without a proactive approach saying, "Reducing stigma requires sustained, coordinated effort across governments, workplaces, services and communities."

The next Report Card is planned for 2028.