In December 2020, the PHAA co-convened a special edition virtual conference with the theme: preventing, detecting, controlling and managing COVID-19 … More
Category: Public Health
New report calls for action to confront our nation’s collective racism
Dr Summer May Finlay For reconciliation to be effective, it must involve truth-telling, and actively address issues of inequality, systemic … More
Welcome to 2021 – a year of more uncertainty, but with cause for hope
Terry Slevin, PHAA CEO Here’s hoping that, as you read this, you retain some of the reinvigorating glow of a … More
Quarantine versus isolation – what’s the difference?
The following is a thread published on Twitter on 10 January 2021 by the Victorian Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton. … More
A message to our public health workers in 2020
Terry Slevin Emotionally charged, fraught, threatening, unsettling and filled with uncertainty. 2020 is finishing like it started. In January it … More
Covid, travel chaos and preventing carnage in WA
Terry Slevin Another outbreak, borders closing, family Christmas ruined; like many people, I’m angry and upset. Like tens of thousands … More
Updated guidelines for low-risk drinking provide new opportunity to inform and empower Australians
Julia Stafford The wait is over. Last week the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) released the updated guidelines … More
Nearly 10 years on, the mental health scars of the 2010 Christchurch earthquake slowly heal
This article is based on an original article in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, authored by … More
Addressing weight stigma in public health practice
Kristy Law and Dr Claire Pulker It’s time to change the way we talk about obesity. As public health professionals … More
Climate change and health heats up
Ingrid Johnston The connections between climate and health, and the importance of systemic changes in Australia to recognise and address … More
Australia urged to support proposal to waive intellectual property rights for COVID-19 medical products
Deborah Gleeson, Belinda Townsend and David Legge Australian officials will meet with other governments at the World Trade Organization this … More
WA must take urgent action towards health impacts of climate change
Tarun Weeramanthri ‘Climate change is the defining issue of our time – and we are at a defining moment’ – … More
Victorian state budget a mixed affair for public health
Anna Nicholson The 2020-21 Victorian state budget is a mixed affair for public health. There is much to congratulate the … More
Preventive approaches needed to improve child and youth health and wellbeing
Tracey Oorschot and Jane Frawley Child, youth, Indigenous and social policy advocates have campaigned for improved health and wellbeing of … More
Hazardous drinking in Australia: 10-year study reveals positive trend but still a long way to go
Australia’s drinking culture is well documented. As we prepare for a warm weekend with summer fast approaching, millions of Australians … More
Study finds patterns of psychological distress, alcohol use and social disconnect among Australian mineworkers
Mental disorders, including mood, anxiety and substance use, are extensive throughout the world with one in three affected by such … More
Facing Unprecedented Challenges: lessons from the 2020 Australian Public Health Conference
Jeremy Hunt At this point, unprecedented doesn’t quite do 2020 justice. Throughout the year governments and organisations have had to … More
Exponential growth in COVID cases would overwhelm any state’s contact tracing. Australia needs an automated system
C Raina MacIntyre, UNSW The people at highest risk of getting infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, are … More
Food security during COVID a critical challenge for remote Indigenous communities
NAIDOC Week 2020 – ‘Always was, always will be’ To celebrate NAIDOC Week 2020, the Public Health Association of Australia … More
Ensuring COVID-19 information is culturally appropriate
NAIDOC Week 2020 ‘Always was, always will be’ To celebrate NAIDOC Week 2020, the Public Health Association of Australia is … More
WellMob portal provides a one-stop-shop for COVID-safe information
NAIDOC Week 2020 ‘Always was, always will be’ To celebrate NAIDOC Week 2020, the Public Health Association of Australia is … More
Congratulations to the ACT for committing to Raise the Age of Criminal Responsibility
Ingrid Johnston and Michael Doyle Recently the PHAA was pleased to join with the Raise the Age Coalition in … More
COVID-19 results in new ways of working with Indigenous young people in remote communities
NAIDOC Week 2020 – ‘Always was, always will be’ To celebrate NAIDOC Week 2020, the Public Health Association of Australia … More
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander allies start with the basics; correct terminology.
Dr Summer May Finlay If you can’t get the simple things right, how can we trust you to get … More
More Deadly News: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tobacco use continues to go down
NAIDOC Week 2020 Raglan Maddox, Katherine A. Thurber, Tom Calma, Glen Benton, Emily Banks, Raymond Lovett Smoking is a leading … More
COVID-19 healthcare response in NSW: a success story
Australian Public Health Conference 2020 Introduction: It’s being dubbed Australia’s coronavirus success story – open borders, open businesses, slow infection … More
Nuclear weapons – always inhumane and unacceptable, now illegal
Tilman Ruff On Saturday 24 October, the number of nations ratifying the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear … More
The public health success of preventing iodine deficiency
Kim Jose At the recent AGM of the PHAA Judy Seal was awarded a President’s Award by David Templeman for … More
Public Health in Queensland – a state election wrap
Paige Preston and Letitia Del Fabbro #QldVotesHealth #5percentforprevention #Qldvotes With only a few days left before the October 31st Queensland … More
Health communication for policy change and better patient care
Australian Public Health Conference 2020 Plenary Session 5 – Health Communication Keynote speakers: Danielle Wood, Chief Health Officer, Grattan Institute … More
Does anyone really believe we are going to avert a climate catastrophe?
Peter Sainsbury It might be easy, even for someone who follows the scientific evidence about climate change, to think … More
How do we improve public health messaging during periods of bushfire smoke and poor air quality?
Australian Public Health Conference 2020 Workshop Friday 23 October Topic: How do we improve public health messaging during periods of … More
The pressure cooker environment – preventing the next pandemic
Andrea Britton Australian Public Health Conference 2020 One Health SIG webinar: The pressure cooker environment – preventing the next … More
100 days of lockdown. Is Melbourne facing its final COVID countdown?
Terry Slevin I don’t know if Victorian Premier Dan Andrews is a gambler. I assume he might have a … More
Upcoming elections are in the gun lobby sights
Stephen Bendle The Public Health Association Australia (PHAA) is a founding member of the Australian Gun Safety Alliance (AGSA) … More
A disappointing week, but signs we are at least facing in the right direction
Terry Slevin, CEO of the PHAA The Australian Government Budget for 2020-21 was finally released last week, after a … More
A start on a new approach to disease control?
Terry Slevin It’s welcome news that Labor, in opposition, is thinking about how to maximise Australia’s structural arrangements for … More
Fact or Fiction? Debunking the myths around e-cigarettes
Michelle Jongenelis, Christina Watts and Maurice Swanson E-cigarettes have clearly made their way into Australian society. So, what’s the … More
International Safe Abortion Day 28th September – why do we keep celebrating it?
Suzanne Belton In the late European summer of 2018, I visited beautiful Portugal to meet with a lot of … More
We need to become healthier, faster
Terry Slevin The Australian Government is currently consulting on its National Preventive Health Strategy. The most important message they … More