State and territory leaders have given their in-principle approval for a new national mental health and suicide prevention agreement.
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The agreement, which will be finalised in early 2022, was discussed at Friday's national cabinet meeting with Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
It followed a series of reports, including a landmark Productivity Commission inquiry.
The national agreement will clarify roles and responsibilities, progress improvements in the mental health services available to adults, children and youth and improve data collection, sharing and evaluation.
It is also intended to reduce gaps in the system of care, expand and enhance the workforce and improve mental health and suicide prevention for all Australians across a range of settings.
Meanwhile, the leaders also agreed to share state public sector workforce data with the Workplace Gender Equality Agency, in a bid to target efforts to reduce the gender pay gap.
As well, the states and territories were briefed on a move to improve the consistency of workplace sexual harassment data collection and sharing.
Treasury secretary Dr Steven Kennedy and Reserve Bank governor Philip Lowe provided a joint update on the economic and market outlook for 2022.
Productivity Commission chair Michael Brennan briefed the leaders on productivity-enhancing reforms.
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Australian Associated Press
