The widespread increase in crime and violence and all forms of suffering throughout all levels of society have become common place occurrences. We live in a world that is uncertain, often meaningless and repugnant. I don't believe you can improve society by forcing social reform. You have to improve the individuals who compose it and this can only be done through education and re-education. As with mental health we often deal with problems upside down. The mentally ill here in Australia, who desperately need our help, are left to fend for themselves in appalling conditions. What we have is the futile shifting of responsibility, and despite all the elaborate theories and structure put forward, we have change without the backup services that are so desperately required and experimentation on those who can least afford to be experimented upon. And they call this, improvement and progress! We have not helped the mentally ill individual to attain his potential in dealing and living effectively in the outside world. Many have been shunted into boarding houses, without proper medical backup, medication or supervision. Many, like those in the States, walk the streets. We are not carrying out our responsibility for equipping those less fortunate than ourselves to cope with the everyday life of society outside the mental institutions. Certainly there is a need to integrate those less fortunate than ourselves into society and it is the legitimate process of Government to do so. From my viewpoint, it would seem that not only the Australian Government but other Government’s worldwide may have failed in their responsibility.