VMHPAA calls for cultural tax reform that supports wellbeing, fairness, and inclusion
- Shane Warren
- Aug 20
- 2 min read
MEDIA RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
20 August 2025
The Vocational Mental Health Practitioners Association of Australia (VMHPAA) has lodged a submission to the NSW Government’s Art of Tax Reform consultation, urging policymakers to recognise the vital connection between cultural participation and community mental health.
“Culture is not a luxury – it is a foundation of community wellbeing,” said VMHPAA Chair, Shane Warren. “Tax and policy settings must strengthen equitable access to cultural opportunities because they directly contribute to resilience, social inclusion, and psychological health.”
VMHPAA’s submission calls for reforms that:
Promote inclusion and equity by ensuring tax incentives support small-to-medium and grassroots cultural organisations, including those serving LGBTIQA+, CALD, disability, First Nations, and regional communities.
Support mental health and social wellbeing by recognising cultural participation as a proven preventative health measure that reduces isolation and builds resilience.
Enable affordable access by avoiding tax structures that increase ticketing or compliance costs passed on to community groups.
Strengthen sustainability through measures such as simplified deductions for artists, tax exemptions for grants and fellowships, and property tax concessions for creative spaces.
VMHPAA also stressed that reform must avoid over-concentrating benefits in large institutions, and instead be designed in consultation with grassroots organisations to ensure long-term impact.
“Cultural life is critical to the psychological and social health of our communities. This is an opportunity for NSW to lead the nation by embedding wellbeing into cultural tax reform,” Warren said.
About VMHPAA
The Vocational Mental Health Practitioners Association of Australia (VMHPAA) is the national peak body for vocationally trained mental health practitioners working across community health, disability support, aged care, education, and private practice. Our members see daily how cultural, social, and economic settings shape the mental health of Australians.
Media Contact:
Shane Warren, Chair
Susan Sandy, Secretary
VMHPAA
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