Tag: Prevention
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Productivity Commission report reveals “nuts” Budget barrier
Productivity Commission report reveals “nuts” Budget barrier PHAA Media release 14 August 2025 The Productivity Commission’s interim report, Delivering quality care more efficiently, released overnight, has highlighted a glaring barrier in the Federal Budget process which hampers investment in prevention, Australia’s peak body for public health says. “The saying goes that…
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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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When it comes to youth mental health, listen to voices that matter
Matilda Houlihan, Kylie Maidment, Stephen Carbone, Lachlan Kent, Thea Orr, and members of the Prevention United Youth Advisory Group (YAG) – Alannah Sander, Chuan Huang Hii, Emily Howells, Isaac Yau, Jasmine Toronis, Katherine Georghiou, Lauren Jackson, Sumeyye Nur Gungor, Wesley Chen, and Zinzan Hunt-Rosacker Prevention United today released the results…
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We need a public health approach to psychological wellbeing
Dr Matthew Fisher The main public health challenges of our time lie with human psychology, where increasing rates of distress and mental ill-health intersect with other social problems such as family violence, substance abuse, and social division. Despite strong evidence on social determinants of mental health mediated by psychosocial stress,…
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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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Spend on prevention to save money and lives
Adjunct Professor Terry Slevin The best trip to the hospital is the one avoided. The world was changed by the COVID-19 pandemic and Western Australia shut itself off from the world to avoid its worst ravages. As a result, the government which shut the gate was re-elected with record support.…
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Toward a comprehensive approach to obesity
Adjunct Professor Terry Slevin, Clare Hughes, Anita Dessaix, Associate Professor Kate McBride, Jasmine Lykissas There is an urgent need for public health action on obesity, and a current window of policy opportunity for nationally coordinated advocacy. This urgent need for action reflects the persistently high levels of obesity among Australian…
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New study shows public health research is put in the backseat
Hon. Assoc Prof Leanne Coombe and Dr Saman Khalatbari-Soltani We have all heard the old saying – prevention is better than cure. As Australia’s health system struggles with the growing burden of preventable disease, Government investment in public health research to discover new ways to stem the growing tide of illness…
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It’s time to talk seriously about preventing obesity
Lily Pratt and Professor Caroline Miller Obesity is a major driver of the rising diabetes rates in Australia, and is responsible for over 55% of the total disease burden of type 2 diabetes. Around two thirds of Australians currently live with overweight or obesity; further exacerbating existing inequities. Earlier this…
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Diabetes and obesity rise to top of national agenda
Adjunct Professor Terry Slevin, PHAA Last night, Dr Mike Freelander, paediatrician and member for the south western Sydney seat of Macarthur, handed down the House of Representatives Health Committees Report on “The state of Diabetes Mellitus in Australia 2024”. The Report shows that five per cent of the population live…
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How Prevention 2024 fortified my commitment to public health
Zahra Ali Padhani As a PhD student with limited funding, I had not planned on attending the Preventive Health Conference this year. However, I was lucky enough to be selected as a recipient of the Health Promotion Special Interest Group (HPSIG) Travel Award – giving me the invaluable opportunity to…
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Next gen of researchers in early childhood health pave the way for cross-discipline collaboration
EPOCH-Connect In early childhood health promotion, collaboration is essential to break down disciplinary silos and create systemic change. Bringing together researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and families allows for innovative research and the translation of findings into tangible, real-world impact. Collaborative and impactful research requires skills beyond those taught in research training…
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Early interventions crucial for children’s mental health: Prof Sharon Goldfeld
PHAA The inaugural Preventive Mental Health Symposium, which happens in Melbourne and online on 12 March, marks the first time experts from the mental health and public health sectors get together to discuss ways to protect and promote mental wellbeing. It’s hosted by the Public Health Association of Australia, in…
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Comprehensive vaping reforms needed to protect kids
Dr Matthew Tuson and Angela Gazey “Brick and mortar” vape stores have proliferated across Australia in recent years. One only needs to search ‘vape stores’ on Google Maps to see their ubiquitous presence. Our recent research, published in The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health (ANZJPH), identified almost…
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Rachel Fishlock on increasing First Nations’ leadership across Australia’s mental health system
PHAA We know that collaborations between the public health and mental health sectors are vital to bridge the gap between what works and what’s happening in practice and policy. One effort toward that is the inaugural Preventive Mental Health Symposium, which will be held in Melbourne and online on Tuesday…
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Preventive mental health is the way forward: Dr Luke Martin
PHAA The situation is urgent. The prevalence and impact of mental health conditions continues to rise and the demand for mental healthcare services is exceeding their availability, despite steadily increasing investment in treatment. The inaugural Preventive Mental Health Symposium, to be held in Melbourne on 12 March, is shifting the gear…
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Sober curiosity on the rise amid growing concern about alcohol
Jasmine Lykissas The Australian legend of a man with a beer permanently in hand has shaped our country’s culture for the past two centuries. Drinking was transported to Australia during colonisation, when boatloads of prisoners from the Irish and British Isles would commiserate and celebrate with bottles of rum. Alcohol…
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First phase of measures against vaping to combat growing harms
Associate Professor Michelle Jongenelis Disposable vapes are the brightly coloured plastic devices you’re seeing kids and young adults puffing on pretty much everywhere. They are also the devices you’re accidentally stepping on when walking along the footpath. While we were busy figuring out how to survive COVID-19, disposable vapes hit…
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Pre-mixed alcohol products are driving a deceptive wellness trend in alcohol
Bella Sträuli, The George Institute for Global Health If you visit a local bottle shop this Christmas season, you could be forgiven for believing that some of the pre-mixed alcohol options on the shelf are good for you. With claims like ‘low sugar’, ‘low calorie’, ‘low carb’, ‘vegan’, and ‘gluten…
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Parliament overhauls national tobacco law
Malcolm Baalman, Public Health Association of Australia Arguably the most important item of public health legislation to be addressed by our national Parliament in over a decade was finally approved by the Senate last week. The Public Health (Tobacco and Other Products) Bill 2023 is the result of a 4-year…
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Hard-hitting WA campaign helps shift attitudes on alcohol during pregnancy
Hollie Harwood, Public Health Association of Australia Research shows that around 35 percent of pregnant women in Australia drink at least some alcohol during pregnancy, despite the health recommendation being abstinence during pregnancy. However, new research published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health last week shows…
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The power of pre-commitment in preventing gambling harm
Associate Professor Charles Livingstone, Monash University Pre-commitment technologies are a part of a suite of measures proposed to tackle gambling harm in Australia. Pre-commitment is a highly effective preventive gambling harm intervention, requiring gamblers to set limits on how much they can spend. Tasmania will introduce a universal pre-commitment system…
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Learn from different worldviews, says PHAA Mentor of the Year, Professor Rob Moodie
By Rob Moodie, PHAA Mentor of the Year Rob Moodie, Professor of Public Health at the University of Melbourne, was recognised for his commitment to mentorship at the 2023 Australian Public Health Conference. We chatted to him about his career and the importance of mentorship in public health. What was…
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It’s time for tobacco retailers to pay a higher fee
PHAA New research has prompted experts to call on all Australian Governments to adopt a higher standard of tobacco licensing regulation, including higher fees, to help drive down smoking rates. Tobacco licensing was changed significantly in South Australia in January 2007, when the annual cost of retail tobacco licences rose…
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What is preventive mental health?
Dr Stephen Carbone, PHAA Mental Health Special Interest Group co-convenor It has famously been said that there’s no health without mental health, so it’s wonderful to see the National Preventive Health Strategy include a specific focus on promoting and protecting mental health. But success in preventive mental health requires us…
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‘Don’t file it away’: Acting on the National Preventive Health Strategy will mean fewer people get sick
Melanie Parker, Public Health Association of Australia Clearly, unless change occurs soon, Australia will soon be facing an overwhelming chronic disease crisis. That warning, was emphasised in a new Grattan Institute report released on 13 February, which noted the concerning effects it will have on our already-strained health system and…
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Creating systems of leadership in prevention research
Dr Melanie Pescud The Australian Prevention Partnership Centre’s systems case studies project explores how researcher leadership practices can boost the positive influence of research into chronic disease prevention. Dr Melanie Pescud investigates the systems leadership qualities needed to make a difference. What makes a good systems leader? In The…
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An election on health lacking vision beyond hospitals: why Victoria must invest in Public Health and prevention
PHAA Victoria Prevention Subcommittee The PHAA’s Victorian branch, in partnership with the Australian Health Promotion Association and Australasian Epidemiological Association, have released their 2022 Victorian Election Scorecard. This assesses the policy platforms of the major parties – Labor, the Coalition (Liberal/National) and the Greens – against our joint Election Platform, which…
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Improving Access to Oral Healthcare for Children in Australia
Danielle Gavanescu, Master of Public Health student and former PHAA intern Making the news in Australia, particularly in 2022, have been the significant ongoing issues with accessing affordable oral healthcare across the country. Consumers and health professionals have shared their stories, and politicians have called for changes to the Medicare…
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10 Victorian preventive health successes can guide healthier future: PHAA VIC
Dr Laksmi Govindasamy, PHAA Victoria Branch Committee member Earlier this month at Victoria’s Parliament House, the Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA) Victorian branch celebrated the launch of a report that will guide Victoria to a healthier future. Public Health in Victoria: Ten Successes to Guide a Healthier Future highlights…