[VIC] Good food done cheaply is the aim of a new project to help consumers living in the inner southern region of Melbourne. Cheap Eats is organised by the Inner South Community Health Service - it's designed for those having just moved into independent accomodation .. it will include demonstrations and advice on budgeting and shopping.

[NATIONAL] On Saturday, May 2 1998 Australian consumers will join a global Walk, inspired by the United States project "Walk the Walk" on that day for people whose lives have been touched by mental illness. However, the Aussie MM March could collapse; this March urgently needs more support and more volunteers to assist with organisation. In Victoria, the MM March contact is Rod, phone (03)9350 3035 AH.

March organisers are needed in the other States too. The E-mail contact for the Australian marches is MadMarch.au@madnation.org .. also check the MadNation Web page.

[NATIONAL] THEMHS is an annual conference for mental health services AND cønsumers in Aussie land & NZ; THEMHS 1997 was conducted in Sydney during August. There were several cønsumer events, including the AGM of the Aussie MH Consumer network, and papers given by Australian cønsumers. THEMHS 1998 will be held at Wrest Point Hotel (yes, near the Casino) in Hobart, Tasmania. Cønsumer issues to be covered : "the national Cønsumer Network, escaping poverty, mainstreaming, self-esteem, employment, peer programs, rehabilitation, the Clubhouse model, migrant and indigenous (people).. " -TODAY IS THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTING ABSTRACTS-

(VIC) A new Human Rights Centre for Mental Health will open in the heart of Melbourne on 1 May.

The co-Directors, Steafan Kilkeary and Konstandinos Karapanagiotidis say

"we will offer advocacy, support, information and education, all from a human rights perspective. The (Centre) is based on our human rights model of mental health, which we have been developing in theory and in practice for the past 3 years.

The underlying principles of this model are that:

1) The suffering of the individual is real;
2) The individual has a right to a range of treatment options, including no treatment as an option;
3) The individual has a right to live free from abuse and free from neglect.

While the dominant medical model of mental health seeks to ensnare and enslave individuals into a life of hopeless pathology, our human rights model of mental health both recognises and respects the fact that given appropriate support, the individual can overcome even the most devastating trauma ... the former built on fatalistic biological determinism; the latter on optimistic human potential ... the mental health industry - not unlike any other capitalist industry - depends for its survival on the creation of new illnesses, new consumers ... one of the key focusses of our work at the Centre will be to expose those abusers masquerading as mental health workers, to expose their abuses masquerading as care, in a sham industry that is, by its own 'scientific' rules, an absolute f***** failure. The time for positive change is finally here."

(INTERNET) A new mail list, Psyche has been created (NEW-LIST). Psyche is intended to help and support those who suffer from depression, anxiety, phobias, etc. The focus is on learning how to cope, deal, and heal by sharing ideas, strategies, information, and anything else that might be useful. Click to subscribe(http://www.onelist.com/subscribe.cgi/psyche)

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Across the world, the cønsumer movement is gathering momentum as users of psych. health services realise their own wisdom and resources. "an aussie cønsumer newsletter" is published by cønsumers, for cønsumers Down Under. This document is composed and edited in Melbourne; a new issue is usually published every second Friday. This cønsumer newsletter is independent of any cønsumer group, network or service provider. And, this is an un-funded enterprise, so if you as a cønsumer can help us or suggest improvements, we need you. We particularly value news from states outside Victoria! Watch this space .. we collect consumer stories and material. We will accept files and GIFs/JPEGs up to 64K . Our postal address is aussie cønsumer newz, PO Box 469, Carlton South, Vic. 3053 Australia. Printed copies of this newsletter are available - ask us.