As part of World Mental Health Week, the Economics Society of Australia will be holding a panel discussion event, The Cost of Mental Ilness. Join us to hear Professor Allan Fels AO, Maria Katsonis and Margo Lydon give their perspectives on the social and economic impacts of mental illness, and the best policy options to pursue. Professor Fels, who is currently Chairman of the National Mental Health Commission, will give a short presentation, and will be followed by a Q&A discussion all three panellists. Come along to gain insight from those with first-hand experiences of mental illness and its effects. Register: https://esavic2015mhw.eventbrite.com The speakers: Professor Allen Fels AO Professor Allan Fels is currently the Chairman of the National Mental Health Commission. He is also Chairman of the Haven Foundation, which seeks to provide accommodation and support for the long-term mentally ill. Until recently, he was Dean of the Australia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG). From 1995 to 2003, he was Chairman of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and before that Chairman of the Trade Practices Commission and Chairman of the Prices Surveillance Authority. Professor Fels is a long-term advocate of mental health policy reform and a carer for his daughter. Maria Katsonis Maria is a Director at the Department of Premier and Cabinet and an ambassador for Beyondblue. Earlier this year, Maria published a memoir titled The Good Greek Girl, recounting her experiences of her parents’ furore when she quit her economics course at the University of Melbourne to pursue acting, her father’s violence after she revealed that she was gay, being admitted to hospital as a psychiatric patient, and her subsequent journey of recovery. She holds a Masters of Public Administration from Harvard University. Margo Lydon  As Chief Executive Officer of SuperFriend, Margo’s role is to manage the strategic direction and operations, ensuring that the Foundation works to deliver on its mission of reducing the incidence of suicide and the impact of mental illness on individuals, employers, workplaces, families and friends. She works closely and collaboratively with the industry superannuation funds, group life insurers and mental health organisations participating in SuperFriend.