Tag: health policy
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If this is a ‘health election’, it is failing
Adjunct Professor Terry Slevin If this is a ‘health election’, it is missing a vital puzzle piece. Our major parties are throwing billions at promises to treat health problems, but are offering virtually nothing to keep us healthy in the first place. The national budget for health expenditure is one…
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In Trump’s new order, Australia must fight for affordable medicines
Vincent So Donald Trump has returned to the White House with a harder-edged agenda, a more ideologically disciplined inner circle, and little appetite for the old rules of global engagement. His second presidency is more calculative, operating with strategic intent, game-theory logic, and a clear belief in zero-sum outcomes, particularly…
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An app could improve access to oral healthcare
We recently launched our election priorities platform, Vote for Public Health. We’re calling on the next Australian Government to take action to prevent disease and ill-health in our community, including by making oral healthcare universal through Medicare. Find out more here. A version of this article was originally published by…
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A year to celebrate historic public health wins
Adjunct Professor Terry Slevin, PHAA CEO As 2024 staggers to a close, Australia’s public health community has several reasons to feel a sense of achievement. It is time to reflect on what has probably been the best year for advancing public health causes in at least a decade. The good…
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Strong public health workforce needed to manage next global crisis
Adj Assoc Prof Priscilla Robinson and Hon Assoc Prof Leanne Coombe Following the release of the COVID-19 Response Inquiry Report last week, there has been plenty written about Australia’s response to the pandemic. Commentaries have explored the ongoing impacts on mental health through to the erosion of public trust in…
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Historic step towards an Australian CDC
Malcolm Baalman Read our members-only summary of the COVID-19 Inquiry Report here. The Australian Government has released a long-awaited report on the Commonwealth Government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 Response Inquiry Report is focused on what happened during the pandemic of 2020-2022 to identify lessons learned for future…
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The adolescent social media ban alone won’t work. Here’s what will
Mariah Issa, Imogen Croucher, Allyson Todd, Dr Stephanie Partridge, Rebecca Raeside Adolescence is a time where young people are forming their identity, and are susceptible to environmental, commercial, and social influences. With the rise of ‘wellness’ influencers on Instagram and TikTok, and a bombardment of marketing tactics from large companies,…
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Building strong public health policy
Lily Pratt and Jasmine Lykissas What do sugar labelling, trans health, and skin cancer prevention have in common? Perhaps not much to an everyday person, but for us at the Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA), they’re three of the many policy positions we rely on to advocate for the…
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Nikhil Kumar on bridging the gap between uni and the real-world
While initially daunting, the transition straight from university life to the dynamic world of public health at PHAA was filled with invaluable lessons and experiences. I joined the Association as an intern in January, after completing a Master of Public Health at the end of 2023. I was most surprised…
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Trust: missing in action in health policy
Dr Jennifer Dunne & Dr Matthew Govorko Trust in public health is vitally important. On 29 February 2024, the PHAA WA branch, in conjunction with Healthway and the Australian Health Promotion Association, hosted an event exploring trust in health policy – or rather, the lack thereof – and the implications…
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Tips to craft influential submissions to government inquiries
Dr Katherine Cullerton, Dr Megan Ferguson and Dr Rachel Bacon Government inquiries provide a unique opportunity to have a real influence on government policy. It is an important window for advocates to add their voice to matters in their field of expertise, as well as to potentially influence those with…
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Calling time on tobacco vending machines
Dr Christina Watts, Dr Natalia Lizama and Professor Suzan Burton Many of us know someone who only smokes when they drink. Perhaps they’re a former smoker, are currently trying to quit, or only feel compelled to smoke when they’re at the pub. This isn’t merely anecdotal – there is strong evidence…
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Diabetes map of Tasmania invaluable for health policy
Dr Ngan Dinh Maps are trustworthy companions; they reveal our current location and lead us to unexplored horizons. But have you ever imagined that a map could unlock the secrets of local health status and inform policy planning to shape our future? Our new research, recently published in the Australian…