Media centre
As the principal organisation representing psychiatrists in Australia and New Zealand, the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) can put the media in touch with psychiatrists in relation to stories on mental health issues.
A range of psychiatrists are available to comment on issues relevant to psychiatry and mental health.
Media enquiries
Sarah Carr
Advisor, Media and Communications
T +61 (0)3 9601 4981
M +61 437 315 911
media@ranzcp.org
Media access to RANZCP Journals
Contact media@ranzcp.org to request full text of any article in Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry or Australasian Psychiatry for media use.
In the media
►COVID-19 and the mental health effects on young people - ABC Radio Melbourne
► Is our hotel quarantine too heavy handed? - The Project
► Healthcare workers struggling with mental wellbeing during pandemic - ABC Online
► Use of Psilocybin and MDMA for mental health treatment - 2CC Radio
► Get your mind fit - Herald Sun
► Regulator weighs push to legalise MDMA for mental health treatment - Sydney Morning Herald
► Suicide: Predicting the unpredictable - Medical Forum
►Coronavirus kills 17 in its deadliest day - The Australian
Joint statements
► Significant hospital wait times a symptom of systemic failure
(Joint statement with ACEM)
► An open letter to all Victorians
(Joint statement)
► Medicine shortage alert: Discontinuation of Nardil (phenelzine sulfate)
(Joint statement with the Therapeutic Goods Administration and the Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia)
► Medical decisions should be made by medical professionals
(Joint statement with ACEM, ADC, ACSEP, ACRRM, ANZCA, CICM, RACP, RACMA, RACGP, RANZCOG, RANZCP and RANZCR)
► Leading medical authorities ask Parliament to maintain Medevac law
(Joint statement with RACP, ACEM, ACD, ACRRM, ANZCA, CICM, RACMA, RACGP, RANZCOG and RANZCR)
► Health bodies declare aboriginal youth suicide an urgent national priority
(Joint statement with NACCHO and RACP)
► Queensland doctors call on State Government to save lives
(Joint statement with ACEM, ACRRM, RACGP and AMAQld )
► Canadian, New Zealand and Australian medical colleges unite in support of gender equality
(Joint statement as part of the Tri-nation alliance)
Media releases
20 October 2020
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) Queensland Branch welcomes the government’s $100 million announced to support the mental health of all school students if it is re-elected.
12 October 2020
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) has welcomed new Budget initiatives to strengthen the capacity of the healthcare workforce to provide more timely, seamless and high quality services to veterans and their families.
07 October 2020
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) has used the federal government’s announcement of additional allocations for mental health funding in the 2020–21 Budget to reaffirm its call for more fundamental system reform.
05 October 2020
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) has called on the government to put mental health planning and spending high on the list of priorities.
29 September 2020
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) Victorian Branch has expressed concern for the potential impact of the proposed new policing powers, outlined in the COVID-19 Omnibus (Emergency Measures) and Other Acts Amendment Bill.
29 September 2020
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) has welcomed the launch of the Suicide & self-harm monitoring website by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).
29 September 2020
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) Victorian Branch welcomes the announcement of Deputy Premier, the Hon. James Merlino, as the new Victorian Minister for Mental Health.
25 September 2020
A message from the Chair of Tu Te Akaaka Roa – New Zealand National Committee for Mental Health Week.
25 September 2020
Concerns for vulnerabilities experienced by women from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities, drawing specific attention to the barriers South Asian women face in accessing supports for their mental health and wellbeing.
24 September 2020
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) has congratulated the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (ACEM) on the launch of their important report Nowhere else to go: Why Australia’s health system results in people with mental illness getting ‘stuck’ in emergency departments.
23 September 2020
The RANZCP and Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (ACEM) joint release on the issue of significant wait times and mental health presentations in South Australia.
18 September 2020
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) has welcomed the Federal Government’s announcement to extend use of the telehealth Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) item numbers for a further six months.
10 September 2020
Leading mental health body, the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP), has welcomed today’s announcement of $19 million towards suicide prevention but warned against leaving psychiatrists out of the conversation.
09 September 2020
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) is urging the Federal Government to immediately confirm the expansion of the telehealth MBS item numbers past the 30 September expiry date.
25 August 2020
The sad stories told in last night’s Four Corners segment Please Don’t Judge are a part of a much deeper and system-wide problem says the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP).
20 August 2020
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) has welcomed the Federal Government’s announcement of $31.5m towards supporting mental health services but cautioned against leaving psychiatrists out of the loop.
17 August 2020
Concerns grow for the mental health and wellbeing of Victorians in lockdown, especially those in aged care facilities.
11 August 2020
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists has reiterated their position on the need for sufficient, appropriate, and sustained supply of PPE for all healthcare workers as it remains a vital element of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Victoria and Australia-wide.
09 August 2020
With stage 4 restrictions well underway in Victoria, it is vital that the focus is as strongly placed on the mental health and wellbeing of the community, as much as the physical health.
07 August 2020
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) has welcomed the Federal Government’s announcement of additional funding to combat the increased demand for mental health services, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
07 August 2020
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) has expressed concern in relation to the Federal Government’s decision to reopen the detention facility located on Christmas Island to house people currently in immigration detention on mainland Australia.
04 August 2020
With a State of Disaster declared in Victoria and a small – yet persistent – number of new cases still emerging daily in NSW, it is imperative governments continue to provide sustained new investment in mental health to meet variable and changing circumstances.
30 July 2020
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) Victorian Branch has reiterated support for stronger measures to reduce the use of seclusion and restraint in the Victorian mental health system.
30 July 2020
We know this year has been tough so far. The good news is lives have already been saved with COVID-19 restrictions and this can continue by following the latest health advice to slow the spread of the virus, and by continuing to look after our own health.
30 July 2020
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) has applauded today’s announcement on the Close the Gap agreement and its historic commitment to reducing the incarceration, domestic violence and suicide rates in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population.
16 July 2020
When we venture out in public these days, it is more and more common to see people wearing face masks and this is a good thing.
07 July 2020
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) Victorian Branch has expressed deep concern for the findings outlined in the recent report on suicides of Victorian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people by the Coroners Court of Victoria.
05 July 2020
With around 3,000 of Melbourne's residents will be locked in nine public housing estates for at least five days due to a coronavirus outbreak the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatry (RANZCP) Victorian Branch is urging the government to provide mental health support for these vulnerable communities.
30 June 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought risks, dangers and impacts for the whole community, but it has had specific and severe consequences for vulnerable populations such as asylum seekers and refugees.
29 June 2020
The peak body for psychiatrists has urged Australia’s Minister for Health, Greg Hunt, to make permanent the availability of telehealth and telephone consultations for all patients wherever they happen to live.
26 June 2020
In the wake of Qantas’s announcement to shed over 6000 jobs as part of its response to the coronavirus pandemic, the President of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) has reaffirmed his concern for a potential next wave of mental ill health.
28 May 2020
As we recognise and celebrate National Reconciliation Week, we also take time to reflect on the important role that psychiatrists play in working towards the improvement of mental health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
25 May 2020
Whilst there is emerging evidence for the use of psychedelic therapies in the treatment of mental illnesses, there is still a way to go before it will be considered a safe and effective practice says the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP).
25 May 2020
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) is urging everyone to seek professional advice for any mental or physical health issues if they aren’t feeling well.
15 May 2020
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) welcomes today’s National Mental Health and Wellbeing Pandemic Response Plan as well as the Commonwealth’s investment of $48.1 million in additional support to assist with its implementation.
15 May 2020
The Victorian Branch of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP Victorian Branch) welcomes the Victorian Government’s ongoing commitment to reforming the mental health system to ensure all Victorians have access to high-quality care when and where the need it.
14 May 2020
With Covid-19 public health measures beginning to ease across the country, the announcement of the Mental Health Support Package is welcome relief for mental health services in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT).
13 May 2020
It is more important than ever to be aware of the dangers of alcohol use for our mental health and wellbeing, according to the president of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP).
13 May 2020
The appointment of Australia’s first ever chief medical officer for mental health as part of the government’s response to the coronavirus crisis is welcomed by the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP).
11 May 2020
A forecasted surge in suicide rates due to the impacts of COVID-19, its associated restrictions and their secondary social, economic and personal consequences is not inevitable according to the President of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, Associate Professor John Allan.
30 April 2020
Just as the COVID crisis is effecting large scale change across of our work and home lives so too is it impacting every aspect of the mental health system.
27 April 2020
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) has again called for a more systematic approach to health and safety at high risk inpatient settings after the temporary closure of a psychiatric facility in Victoria.
27 April 2020
Whilst we are seeing a flattening of the curve and some relaxation in restrictions across Australia and New Zealand, we must still act to ensure mental health services across all areas are enhanced and prepared to support the anticipated increase of people seeking access to these services.
24 April 2020
The NSW Branch of the RANZCP enthusiastically supports the suite of initiatives announced by the Premier.
18 April 2020
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) commends the extension of Medicare benefits to assist patients to receive telehealth or telephone consultations in a wider range of circumstances.
17 April 2020
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) urges the Australian Government to urgently release vulnerable refugees and asylum seekers from immigration detention centres as part of its public health response to COVID-19.
15 April 2020
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) welcomes Minister Hunt’s announcement over the weekend of 11 million medical masks for healthcare workers.
03 April 2020
The recently announced partnership between the Commonwealth, States and Territories and the private and not-for-profit hospital sector will strengthen Australia’s capacity to respond to the coronavirus pandemic.
30 March 2020
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) welcomes the Australian Government’s changes announced yesterday to expand Medicare-subsidised telehealth services for more Australians.
27 March 2020
For some patients experiencing severe mental illness, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is an essential treatment which can save their life.
19 March 2020
Having a mental illness can make it more challenging to stay physically healthy.
There is also substantial evidence that there are higher rates of physical illness among people with serious mental illness.
17 March 2020
It is normal and healthy to feel stress and anxiety sometimes.
13 March 2020
The NSW Branch of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) has called for improved access, capacity and fairness in New South Wales’ mental health system.
02 March 2020
Leading youth mental health experts will this week gather in Sydney’s coastal suburb of Manly to take part in the annual Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) Section of Youth Mental Health 2020 Conference.
05 February 2020
The leading representative body for psychiatrists has welcomed the announcement of a permanent independent commissioner into veteran suicides, mental health and wellbeing and urges the government to ensure that the investigation is done so with the appropriate clinical awareness and understanding of this area.
31 January 2020
An increase in mental health related emergency ambulance responses is cause for great concern according to the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP).
31 January 2020
The Victorian Branch of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP Victorian Branch) congratulates RANZCP Fellow, Associate Professor Simon Stafrace, on his appointment to chief adviser of Mental Health Reform Victoria.
23 January 2020
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) has expressed their support for the further research and, where backed by sufficient evidence, appropriate regulation of medicinal cannabis.
10 January 2020
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) is committed to playing a vital role in addressing the impact that climate emergency is having on people’s mental health and wellbeing.
01 January 2020
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) is deeply concerned by the catastrophic bushfire events currently impacting large areas of south eastern Australia, their local communities and holiday makers.
► View older media releases in our News Archive.