$3.2 million announced for Australian CDC in October 2022-23 Budget

PHAA

In line with their election promise to establish an Australian Centre for Disease Control (CDC), the Australian Government has announced $3.2 million will be put toward designing the new entity.

The October 2022-23 Budget (Budget paper 2, p.117) stated:

“The design work will incorporate stakeholder consultations to ensure the new Centre will support improved pandemic preparedness and response, as well as the prevention of chronic disease.

“The cost of this measure will be partially met from within the existing resourcing of the Department of Health and Aged Care.

“This measure delivers on the Government’s election commitment as published in the Plan for a Better Future.”

PHAA welcomes this small step towards one of the most substantial public health decisions to come out of a Federal Budget in years.

There are small, welcome steps on funding for an Australian Centre for Disease Control, and developing the 1st national Climate and Health Strategy in #WellbeingBudget2022 #Budget2023. More in our statement https://t.co/AgAzBFhTnG
Members have been sent our exclusive analysis. pic.twitter.com/Osjrh8gBT7

— Public Health Association Australia (@_PHAA_) October 26, 2022

In response to a question from PHAA CEO, Adj Prof Terry Slevin, in the Budget’s Health webinar, the Minister for Health and Aged Care, Mark Butler, said that the money was an initial investment in the CDC, with more likely in future.

“Tonight there is funding allocated in the Budget to support the development of that model, to get legal advice, to do proper consultation with the sector and so on,” Minister Butler said.

“But there’s still quite a bit of work to design the model properly, and that will be work that will be pushed into the next Budget, it would be likely.

“But we’ve committed funding to make sure that we work with states and territories, work with the sector, including with organisations like yours, Terry, that have taken such a deep interest in this, and make sure we get this model right for the future.”

Stay up to date on CDC Corner, where experts, including PHAA members, provide their perspectives on the proposed entity.

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